Filling the Gaps
by rebeldivaluv
Summary: Jackie & Hyde: The Missing Scenes
1. That '70s Pilot

**Author's Note: **Yes, it's me again. No, I haven't given up on "Outside Looking In," but I am horribly blocked on it, so I ignored it for a long time. Now, I'm hoping to get my Zen muse back, and to that end, I'm going to try to write some missing scene pieces from each episode, ranging in length from drabbles to vignettes, that work within the confines of the show, but flesh out the Jackie/Hyde dynamic. Not sure how far I'll get, or how often I'll update, but I'm hoping, if nothing else, it will get me started writing again. To that end, a missing scene from the pilot.

**Disclaimer: **If these characters were mine, I wouldn't have to go work at my minimum wage job tomorrow, now would I?

**That '70s Pilot**

Hyde hated the arcade. Too noisy, too many people, too much the traditional "high-school hangout." He much preferred The Hub, and, being the coolest in his gang, he usually got his way. But Donna was tired of The Hub; she wanted something different, and given that both he and Forman were becoming increasingly stupid over Donna Pinciotti, they had been talked into coming here after school today.

It just figured that he would be the first one there, forced to listen to the ringing of pinball machines and the gloating of brainless jocks, without a beer or a joint to take the edge off.

This was the last time he was going to let a girl talk him into anything. Ever.

As if to complete his picture of hell, he was suddenly accosted with, "Where's Michael?" in a familiar, grating, shrill voice.

He glared at the tiny brunette. "Not here. So shoo."

"Shoo?" Her hands predictably found her hips. Jackie Burkhart had been born a nagging wife, and, unluckily for Hyde, she had settled on one of his best friends to dominate and control. "I'm not a fly! I'm Michael's girlfriend. You should talk to me with respect."

"How exactly does one respect the leech sucking the life out of his friends?"

Jackie tossed her head defiantly. Her dark hair formed a wave of righteous indignation, and her mismatched eyes focused her rage into a bullet point through his head. "I'm going to tell Michael what you just said to me, Steven Hyde! You're such a…a—a—poor person!"

"Wow, really burned me with that one. Don't know how I'll ever survive it."

The cheerleader's eyes narrowed into slits at Hyde's sarcastic response. "I'm going to talk to people who _matter_ now." She turned on her heel and walked away, head held high and hips swaying in an enticing way beneath her short denim skirt.

_You know, it's really too bad she's such a bitch; otherwise, she might be kinda hot._ No sooner had the thought occurred to him, than he shoved it out of his mind. It was merely the kind of delusional idea that could enter a head not otherwise braced against society.

Damn, he needed some circle time.

Still, with a lack of other objects of interest to occupy him, his eyes were drawn more than once to where Jackie chatted with several of her giggly school friends, as they watched some steroid-ridden football player pound the pinball machine into submission. She presided over them all, secure in her environment of shallow superiority.

She caught his eyes once and gave him the kind of glare that could sear metal, before turning up her button nose and refusing to look at him again.

It was then Hyde came to a decision. The Jackie experience needed to end. Now.


	2. Eric's Birthday

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairing:** Eric/Donna, hinted Hyde/Donna, Hyde/Jackie  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A 100-word drabble, post "Eric's Birthday," Hyde's POV.

"So, really, I gave Eric the best gift. I mean, if it wasn't for me, Donna would have given him a basketball or something just as lame." Jackie sighed. "She needs me so."

Hyde glared at her. He wished he could focus his hatred of her into lasers that would shoot through his shades and blow her annoying head off.

At least that would be one good thing to come from this stupid party.

He chanced a glance over the counter and saw Eric and Donna holding hands by the light of the scented candle. His stomach twisted.

Damn Jackie.


	3. Streaking

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairing:** Jackie/Kelso, Eric/Donna, hinted Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A 200-word double drabble, post "Streaking," Jackie's POV.

Officially, she was appalled. Eric streaked at the rally_her_ father—City Councilman Burkhart—organized. When she found out from Donna that all four guys had planned to streak, she gave Michael an hour-long lecture on proper public behavior—especially in front of her father.

So, officially, she was outraged and offended and couldn't believe people she associated with would engage in such juvenile behavior.

Unofficially, she found it cool and a little bit dangerous. When she made out with Michael that night, she kissed him with more passion and ferocity than usual, remembering his bare chest when the guys pulled him away.

And even though he was way too scrawny, Jackie thought she might understand a little of what Donna saw in Eric now. He _was_ the only one courageous enough to actually go through with it.

That still surprised her. If she had pegged one of the gang to stage a public—and publicly humiliating—protest, she wouldn't have chosen Eric. She wouldn't have picked Michael either.

It would have been Hyde.

But he had backed out, too. It was a pity. She wouldn't have minded seeing what was under _his_ trenchcoat.

That thought was completely unofficial.


	4. Battle of the Sexists

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairing:** Jackie/Kelso, hinted Hyde/Jackie  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A post-ep ficlet

**Battle of the Sexists**

The jingling of the bells over The Hub's door was by no means a common harbinger of evil. But when it was followed by five feet, three inches of towering rage and bitchiness descending on Hyde, Fez and Kelso's poker game, the devil had surely arrived.

Hyde smirked and leaned back to enjoy the ride.

"Michael!"

Kelso jumped so far at the sound of her voice that his chair flipped over and he landed on his back. "Jeez, Jackie! Why—"

"Oh no!" She advanced on her boyfriend's cowering form, waving her finger like a lethal weapon in his face. "You don't 'jeez, Jackie,' me. How DARE you put your creepy foreign friend on the line to listen to my PRIVATE thoughts!? Those things I said were only for _you_, Michael!"

Terror was written all over Kelso's face. His eyes darted back and forth in search of an escape. They landed on his friends, and Hyde knew what Kelso would say before the words left his mouth.

"It was Hyde's idea! _He _wanted to play cards, and he said you'd never know the difference."

Disgusted, Hyde shook his head at Kelso, still down on The Hub's filthy floor. "I had it wrong, Kelso. You're not even a wuss. You're a worm."

Jackie's eyes narrowed to serpentine slits as she pivoted to face him. But the look that could turn Kelso into a quivering pile of pus in an instant had no effect on Hyde beyond increasing his resentment of the harpy who had stripped his friend of his balls.

"Michael, go away now. I'll deal with you later."

Kelso, of course, didn't hesitate a moment before running away like Shaggy from the latest ghost at the carnival. Jackie had only to direct her devil's stare at Fez for moments before he, too, made tracks.

"I pity you, my friend," he shrieked as he scampered.

Hyde saw the impending confrontation on her face. While part of him wanted to get up and leave just to show Jackie not everyone bowed to her spoiled princess whims, the greater part of him wanted to stay—to say everything that had been building in him over the months of the Jackie experience.

"Okay, Hyde. You and I are going to settle something right now. Michael is my boyfriend. That is not changing until, and unless, I say so. And if your stupid attempts to turn him against me don't stop, I'll simply insist that he quit spending time with you altogether." Her arms crossed, and she raised an eyebrow as if daring him to test her power.

Slowly, he stood until he towered over the diminutive shrew. "_Michael_," Hyde laced the word with derision, "has a mind of his own—however small it may be. You can't control him completely, and I don't even try. I don't need to. _He _put Fez on the phone because he was sick and tired of your yammering, just like everyone else. So do us all a favor, and shut it."

Jackie did not, in fact, shut her mouth on his order. Instead, it gaped open, giving her a marked resemblance to a mackerel. She squeaked and stuttered, and Hyde took immense satisfaction in having bested her so easily.

"Not so scary without that forked tongue, are you?"

Her mouth snapped shut, and her brow contracted. "You—you…I _hate _you!" Without warning, she brought her dainty foot back and kicked him hard on the shin.

"OW!" Hyde doubled over, grabbing his throbbing leg.

Jackie cackled like the witch she was, and those now ominous bells, which had announced her arrival, signaled her departure.

Hyde watched her walk away with something akin to admiration. Turned out Kelso's nagging girlfriend had a few weapons in her arsenal after all.

Finally, a worthy adversary.


	5. Eric's Burger Job

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairing:** Jackie/Kelso, hinted Hyde/Jackie  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A missing scene drabble. Post-waterbed, pre-beer run. 100 words, Jackie's POV.

**Eric's Burger Job**

Jackie stared miserably across the Pinciottis' yard to where Michael was jumping on Midge's trampoline. Predictably, he jumped too high, traveled too far, and ended up screaming when he landed in Bob's rosebushes.

"A doofus. He is such a doofus," she muttered under her breath.

"You're just figuring that out now?" Hyde snickered.

All of Jackie's love and defensiveness came rushing to the surface. "Well, better a doofus than a poor, scruffy, going nowhere loser like you!"

Dignity restored, Jackie left a brooding Hyde behind her and went in search of tweezers to pull the thorns out of Michael's butt.


	6. The Keg

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairing:** Jackie/Kelso, hinted Hyde/Jackie, Eric/Donna, Hyde/Donna  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A missing scene 100-word drabble.

**The Keg**

"What's so great about beer anyway?"

"What's _not_great about beer?"

"The smell, the taste, the stains on pretty clothes—"

"Kelso, your girlfriend's talking crazy again. Shut her up, would you?"

Kelso immediately pushed Jackie up against the pool wall and started assaulting her neck. She looked bored and angry, but at least she shut her trap.

Hyde spotted Donna craning her neck for the first sight of Eric. He averted his gaze and locked eyes with Jackie. As if to spite him, she turned to kiss Kelso deeply.

Where was Forman with that tap? Hyde needed a drink.

Badly.


	7. That Disco Episode

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairing:** Jackie/Kelso, hinted Jackie/Hyde, Jackie/Fez, Eric/Donna, Hyde/Donna  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A missing scene.  
**Author's Note: **I don't like songfics, but in case anyone is interested, the song I picture playing (and that I had playing while I wrote this piece) is "Sweet Thing" by Rufus and Chaka Khan. You can find it on YouTube if you want to listen while you read; I think it sets the tone pretty well.

**That Disco Episode**

It had been a very weird night. All Jackie wanted was dancing and romance with her beautiful Michael. Instead, he turned out to be a total embarrassment on the dance floor, while Fez—_of all people—_swept her off her feet. She had finally appeased Michael's jealousy, but there was one problem: Jackie still wanted to dance.

She couldn't dance with Fez without Michael freaking out again, and while Jackie loved nothing more than being fought over, she didn't want more drama tonight.

She wanted to dance.

With no more chance of that, she leaned back in her chair and pouted.

"What's the matter with you?" Donna asked.

"I wanna dance," she whined.

"Your wish is my command, lady." Fez jumped out of his chair and held out his hand.

Jackie yearned to take it—Fez was the best dance partner she'd ever had—but she saw Michael watching them and turned away with a lift of her chin. "Not with _you_," she sniffed.

Dejected, Fez sank back into his seat.

"I'll dance with you, Jackie."

"Michael, you dance like a monkey on acid." He looked hurt, so she quickly added, "No offense." Honestly, he could be such a baby sometimes.

"So dance with Hyde," Donna suggested. "He's a good dancer."

"I'm not dancing with Jackie."

"You danced with Donna," Eric pointed out, suspicion and jealousy lacing his tone.

Hyde's emotion-shielding glasses skimmed over the line of his friends. "Fine," he bit out as he stood. "Jackie, let's dance."

Jackie seethed at his irritated tone. Didn't he realize what an honor it was to dance with her? Fez and Michael had almost come to blows over it already tonight! Besides, she was a much better dancer than that giantess Donna.

It was time Hyde learned his place.

"Not until you ask me properly." She crossed her arms and raised one eyebrow—an always effective tactic for bringing Michael back in line.

Hyde crossed his own arms and stared back down at her. "I'd rather ask Fez."

"Okay!" Fez started to stand, but Michael grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back down.

Jackie and Hyde glared at each other, neither saying a word, neither backing down, for a full minute, before Eric's voice interrupted the standoff.

"Well, fascinating as this is, we have to be back by one, so if no one's going to dance…" Eric trailed off as Jackie stood and stomped toward Hyde.

She had come here to dance, even if it had to be with this dirty, disrespectful hippie. "Come on, you," she muttered poisonously to Hyde, barely stopping on her way to the dance floor.

A slow, soulful Chaka Khan song was playing. When Jackie stopped and turned to face Hyde, they both stood awkwardly four feet apart for several moments. Finally, Hyde stepped forward with a groan and put his right hand on her back while reaching for her hand with his left. His hold on her was almost non-existent; he grimaced as though it was torture to touch her.

They could fit Big Rhonda in the space between them.

Jackie snorted as he led them around in a half-hearted circle. "And Donna thinks you can dance!"

Hyde stiffened at the challenge, then the limpid hand on her back tightened, pulling her effortlessly into his body. "I can."

He could. Dancing with Michael had been a nightmare; dancing with Fez was a dream. But dancing with Hyde…it was real. He didn't pull fancy tricks, but she felt safe in his arms. He led her with steps that didn't falter, that she followed effortlessly.

The music slowed, and he pulled her even closer—a subconscious reaction, she was sure. But Jackie didn't mind.

He smelled so good. Not dirty at all, but not overpowered with cologne the way Fez was. Just fresh, like soap, and warm, like a man. She could feel the hard planes of his chest against her body; he was shorter than Michael, but stockier, broader. He fit perfectly with her tiny frame.

She wished she could see his eyes—and really, who wore sunglasses to a disco in the middle of the night?—and let her hand travel from his neck to his face, plucking off his shades. "Your eyes are blue," she murmured without thinking.

Hyde looked confused. "So?"

"I just…never noticed before." When he continued staring at her like she'd lost her mind, she blurted out, "Michael has beautiful eyes."

Hyde's gaze lost its curiosity and regained its usual derision. "Whatever."

The song ended, and Hyde immediately dropped his hold on her, returning to the group without another word. Jackie stood for a moment in the middle of the dance floor. Her pulse was racing; her stomach twisted. She raised a hand to her cheek and found it burning, feverish.

First Fez, now _Hyde_. What the hell was wrong with her?


	8. Drive In

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairing:** Eric/Donna, Jackie/Kelso, hinted Hyde/Donna, Hyde/Jackie  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A 100-word drabble. Hyde's POV.

**Drive-in**

Donna, Forman, Kelso and Jackie were at the movies while he was teaching Fez about rock music and deceiving parental figures. If anyone asked, Hyde would say he had the better end of this deal.

But his night didn't involve kissing Donna Pinciotti, so silently he was allowed to be a little pissed. He didn't understand Donna. She wanted Forman, but the way she danced with Hyde…

He had a vision of a princess in purple, looking dumbstruck while he held her. He shook it off quickly.

Forman had Donna; Kelso had Jackie; Hyde had…Fez.

And the devil's music.


	9. Thanksgiving

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairing:** Eric/Donna, Jackie/Kelso, hinted Hyde/Donna, Hyde/Jackie  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A missing scene, set right after Eric leaves the gang at the Hub.

**Thanksgiving**

"Poor Donna," Jackie said to Kelso as soon as Eric left the Hub with the oh-so-believable excuse of exhaustion.

"I'm sitting right here!" Donna exclaimed.

"I know you are." Jackie patted her back sympathetically. "And where's the horndog? On his way to the other woman. You should go after him, Donna."

"And do what exactly?"

"Follow his every step until the slutty college girl gets back on the bus to slutty college town, of course."

Donna looked bewildered for a moment at Jackie's matter-of-fact suggestion of stalking before she shook her head. "No way. I trust Eric. What's the point in having a guy if you have to _make _him stay with you?"

Hyde smirked. This was why he liked Donna. So cool, so rational, almost Zen. He couldn't resist making a dig at her short antithesis there. "Yeah, Jackie," he said, with a pointed glance from her to Kelso. "What _is _the point in that?"

Jackie glared at him. "Boys are too stupid to know what's best for them. It's a woman's job to keep them in line."

Hyde glanced at Kelso to see what he thought of his girlfriend's logic, but Kelso had his mouth open, catching ketchup from a dripping fry. Hyde grimaced. If Kelso was the only guy Jackie based her theories on, it was no wonder she came to such idiotic conclusions.

"Whatever. I think I'm gonna head home, too. See ya." For all she was playing it cool, Donna seemed anxious and depressed as she left.

Hyde watched her go, torn between genuine concern for her and something like hope for his future chances.

"She's never going to hold on to Eric, if she doesn't start taking control of the relationship," Jackie lectured the table in general, and no one in particular.

Jackie liked to hear herself talk too much.

"You can control me anytime, Jackie," Fez said, inching his chair closer to hers.

"Ugh!" Jackie wrinkled her nose and abruptly stood. "I'm going to Donna's. Maybe I can at least convince her to watch Eric's window with binoculars."

Hyde shook his head at her departing figure. "Man, that girl is more paranoid than I am."

"Yeah," said Kelso, then leaned conspiratorially close to Fez and Hyde. "So, guys, Laurie's back! I think I'm gonna kiss her tomorrow."

Hyde just stared at his stupid, grinning friend. Maybe Jackie had good reason for her trust issues.


	10. Sunday, Bloody Sunday

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairing:** Jackie/Kelso, hints of Hyde/Jackie**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A 200-word double drabble, Hyde's POV, while the Formans are at dinner, Kelso & Jackie are at Jackie's, and Hyde is cooking food in the dryer.

**Sunday, Bloody Sunday**

Hyde glanced at the ceiling, thinking of Mrs. Forman's cooking. Donna, Fez and Eric were upstairs stuffing their faces, while he was banished to the basement, alone.

If Kelso were here, at least he'd have somebody. Eric's grandma hated Kelso even more than Hyde. (Last year, he paid Kelso a dollar to pants Bernice on the way out of church.)

Kelso could be here now, and Hyde could be convincing him to do more stupid stuff if it weren't for Jackie.

How could Kelso stand to be around that square? She did her homework on Saturday night! She was on the freakin' honor roll. She would be a total geek, if she weren't rich and hot.

Not that Hyde found her hot. She was an evil witch who had cast her voodoo on unsuspecting Kelso. Hyde was doing his best to break the spell, and he'd almost succeeded when she came up with that term paper story.

She had probably known her time was up.

It still would be. Any day now, Kelso was gonna come to the little sense he had and be rid of that creature. Then she'd be out of Forman's basement—and Hyde's life—for good.


	11. Eric's Buddy

**Title:** Filling the Gaps**  
Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairing:** Jackie/Kelso, hinted Hyde/Jackie  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A missing scene, Jackie's POV.

**Eric's Buddy**

It had been on her mind for days now. Eric hanging out with Buddy had made Jackie so happy for him, to see him breaking with the gang—moving up. But, as with most of her thoughts, this one had led her back to herself. She was Jackie Burkhart, daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Point Place, cheerleader and therefore able to associate with the jocks as well.

Yet, lately, it seemed like she spent all her time in Eric's basement. So far, it had mostly escaped comment, if not notice, by her cheerleader and country club friends. Probably because she was dating Michael, who, though neither rich nor a jock—and loathed by guys of both groups—was accepted by Jackie's girlfriends on account of being so gorgeous.

But what had escaped the notice of her friends was gradually becoming clear to Jackie herself: she hung out with the basement gang for more than just Michael. In fact, the first day of the Buddy situation, Jackie was in the basement for hours, watching stupid sitcom reruns, and didn't even realize Michael wasn't there until he and Hyde walked in, shivering and angry.

So if it wasn't for Michael, why was she willing to put her reputation and rich jock clique status on the line for a group of people who didn't even rate a place on the high school map?

Jackie still hadn't figured it out days later as she was leaving school, on foot and alone. She paused at the corner, trying to decide whether to go home, to The Hub, or to the Formans.

She caught sight of a curly-haired boy in a ratty, old jacket stomping along twenty yards ahead of her. Without knowing exactly why, she ran to catch up to him.

"Hyde! Hey, Hyde!"

Hyde didn't stop walking, but he turned his head at her approach. "What do you want?"

"I thought we could walk together. Michael got detention, and I hate walking alone."

"Yeah, well, I don't, so scram."

"Oh, don't give me that. You've been upset all week because Eric hasn't been going home with you."

"Because he has a _car_, and it's freezing out here, Jackie."

"Exactly."

Hyde stopped and looked down at her then. "Exactly what? That doesn't prove a damn thing."

"It proves that it's cold, and it's better to walk with someone, so we can talk and walk close to each other and keep each other warm."

Hyde groaned and started walking again, faster this time. "I don't care if you freeze, and I'd rather freeze myself than listen to your yammering one more minute."

"Well, that's too bad, because I'm Michael's girlfriend, and, as he's not here to look out for me, you, as his friend, should."

"I can't believe Kelso got detention today, and I didn't," Hyde muttered, sounding oddly jealous. "What did he do this time?"

"Something about glue and the Home Ec. teacher's blouse." Jackie frowned, her eyebrows coming together. The story hadn't made much sense, and Michael had been vague, but something about it troubled her. The way Hyde was snickering didn't help matters, either.

Jackie forced herself to shake off the worry. "Anyway, he'll join us at Eric's after."

"_Us_? Jackie, shouldn't you go hang out with the other stupid cheerleaders instead? You and I aren't friends."

"I know that," she snapped, unsure why Hyde's comment stung. He hadn't said it in a mean way, and he'd said _much _worse things to her since she'd been dating Michael. "But Michael's meeting me there, and the Formans' house is…"

"Is what?" Hyde's breath steamed in the cold air; his arms were locked close to his body, hands in pockets, trying to keep out the cold.

Jackie shivered. "It's warm," she said quietly.

Hyde nodded, and Jackie knew he understood. She wasn't talking about the weather.


	12. The Best Christmas Ever

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna; implied Hyde/Donna**  
Rating:** PG**  
Summary:** A missing scene from the Christmas party, before Kelso's return, Jackie's POV.**  
Author's Note: **Thank you guys so much for all the great feedback! I'm finally in a Zen groove again, and I've got several of these stocked away that I'll try to post once or twice a week. And I'm working really hard on finishing the next chapter of "Outside Looking In," too; it's somehow ending up about three times as long as any of the previous chapters, but I think I'm in the home stretch now.

**The Best Christmas Ever**

Everything tonight was so wonderful. The Christmas lights were wonderful. Fez's accent was wonderful. And Mrs. Forman's punch was the most wonderful thing Jackie had ever tasted.

The only not-wonderful thing was Hyde standing between the Christmas tree and the backdoor, watching Eric and Donna, and brooding.

"Hyde," she said as she hurried over to make him feel better. "Hyde, don't be so sad. Christmas is wonderful!" She tried to hug him, but he put both hands on her arms, pushing her away.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Jackie, are you drunk?"

"_NO!_ I don't even like beer. Why would I drink beer, when there's all this wonderful punch?"

"Er, right. Well, I think Fez is about to sing something to his harem over there, so why don't you go join them?"

Jackie looked to her right as the opening notes of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" hit her ears, along with the cooing of her friends. She wanted to be in the center of that group, but there was something she had to do first. What was it again?

She looked back at Hyde and remembered. "You don't need to be sad, Hyde, just because Donna loves Eric."

"What!? I don't even…you're crazy—and she doesn't."

"Oh yes, she does! But it's just because she's a great, big, stupid…Donna. I mean, look at you. You're wonderful." She tried again to cuddle into his side.

Hyde jumped back. "Okay, now I know you're drunk."

"I am not!"

Hyde's mouth turned up in a half-smile, smirk thing. It was wonderful. "Okay, Jackie, prove it. Follow my finger with your eyes."

He raised a finger and began to move it, back and forth, up and down, but he was moving too fast, and she thought it was one finger, but now it looked like six, and this was a stupid game anyway, and…her vision caught on something above Hyde's head and held.

"Mistletoe."

"What?"

"We're standing under the mistletoe. Kiss me!" She threw her arms around his neck, lifted her face and closed her eyes.

"Jackie, I'm not going to kiss you." He tried to shrug her off, but she held on.

"You have to. It's mistletoe. It's tradition!"

"It's stupid. I'll just move."

"You can't, you can't, _you can't_!" Jackie yelled. "You have to kiss me first."

Hyde's eyes took in the room nervously. "All right, all right, just shut up, okay?"

Appeased, Jackie nodded, puckering her lips and closing her eyes once more. But the expected pressure on her mouth never came. Instead, there was the gentle sweep of Hyde's lips against her forehead. It felt wonderful.

Her eyes fluttered open. She wrapped her arms around Hyde's waist and pulled him tight. "Oh, Steven Hyde, I love you!"

All gentleness gone, Hyde pushed her away. "No, Jackie, you _hate _me, remember?"

Jackie frowned. Yes, that sounded truer than what she'd said. "Oh, Hyde, I _do _hate you. Thank you so much for reminding me!" She grabbed onto him again; he felt so warm against her body.

It was wonderful, hating Steven Hyde this much.


	13. Ski Trip

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Eric/Donna; implied Hyde/Donna; hints of Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A missing scene, Hyde's POV.

**Ski Trip**

"It's just…it's just…Michael's supposed to, to _looveee meee…_"

And there she went again, with the hysterical sobbing; the choking, spasming, snotty kind of sobs.

Hyde grimaced. She was making it impossible to ignore her. He wished Donna and Forman would come out of that damn room and make her shut up.

"_I_ love you, Jackie. You are my angel."

"Ewww, get away from me, Fez! And put some clothes on."

"But I am so warm!"

"Then go outside!"

"Yes, my angel, and I will make a snow angel for my angel. Whee!" Fez practically skipped out the door.

Hyde looked after him. He really should bring the foreign kid back inside. It was freezing out there. He looked back at the door to the bedroom. The thought of Donna in there with Forman…

His hands clenched around his MAD magazine.

"Why, why would Mi-Michael do this to me?"

"Because he's a stupid jerk with the self-control of a rabbit," Hyde snapped. He regretted it immediately. He had vowed to ignore her, and he certainly wasn't going to take her side over Kelso's, ski trip or no ski trip.

It was all just his irritation at the Donna situation.

"Don't you talk about Michael that way! If anyone's a stupid jerk, it's _you, _Steven Hyde!"

"Hey, I wonder what Kelso's doing now. I don't think Pam Macy had plans tonight."

Jackie started weeping again, but this time, Hyde kept his resolve to ignore it. If anything could kill the mood for Eric and Donna, it was those wretched noises coming out of Jackie's mouth. And just to help matters along, Hyde put on the most annoying, unromantic record he could find.

He could still hear Jackie crying, though. The sound twisted something inside him.

Hyde frowned and turned the volume up.


	14. Stolen Car

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairing:** Jackie/Kelso  
**Rating:** PG-13**  
Summary:** A post-ep ficlet, Jackie's POV.**  
Author's Note: **Okay, this chapter doesn't have a thing to do with Jackie/Hyde, really, but I've always wanted to cover Jackie's reaction to her first time. Because I don't think it was magical, or even good. I'm not sure sex between her and Kelso was _ever _good. Let's face it: he's too selfish and too inexperienced (at this point) to know how to make it good for any girl. Anyway, this deals pretty directly with the fallout of teen sexuality, and there is no Hyde to be found anywhere in it (unless you count, as I sort of did while writing it, the fact that there _is _better waiting out there for Jackie). You are forewarned.

**Stolen Car**

Jackie lay in her bed after Michael was gone. He slipped out of the house by the back door while her parents came in the front. And now, here she lay, alone on the bed that had been hers since childhood, the bed where she had just lost her virginity.

She snuggled her favorite unicorn and stared at the ceiling, tears pricking her eyes, wondering why she felt so uncomfortable, so unsatisfied, so…used.

It hadn't been anything like her fantasies—and not only because there was no banner. It hadn't been like the romance novels she read, all burning heat and seeing stars.

It had been…well, it had hurt, for one thing. And even though Jackie had heard from some of the looser cheerleaders that it hurt the first time, she had somehow believed that because Michael loved her and she loved him, because it would be making love and not just having sex, that the hurt would be forgotten in the beauty of the moment.

It hadn't been beautiful. It had been messy and sticky and…kind of gross.

Grimacing, Jackie walked to her private bathroom. What she needed was a good, hot shower. Once she was clean, this disappointment she was feeling would go away. She turned the water on as hot as she could stand it and stripped off the robe she'd put on after…_it._

She stared at the horrible mess between her legs. All that blood—it was disgusting. Some of Michael's seed had dripped down to mingle with it. Shuddering, almost numb, Jackie grabbed a washcloth and cleaned it all away.

She hurt. Muscles in her back and legs, muscles she didn't even know she had, they all ached. And her heart…why did the ache feel even heavier there?

Without quite knowing why, she started to cry. Heaving sobs tore through her small body until she was cowered in a corner of the shower, letting the scalding water pour over her. The burn of the water was a relief.

It took too much effort, but she finally managed to stop the tears. She stood, grabbed the soap and started scrubbing. Harder and harder, she rubbed, wanting to burn and scrub and tear her skin away until she didn't feel dirty anymore.

Finally, when the water started to cool, when the bar of soap was gone, Jackie turned off the showerhead. She wrapped a towel around her body and stepped out into the small, steamy room. Using a corner of her towel, she wiped away the fog on the mirror and stared at her reflection.

She should look different; there should be a glow to her skin, a light to her eyes, something that proclaimed her to be a woman now. But she was still the same Jackie Burkhart she had been this morning, only sadder and perhaps a bit…knowing.

"Stop it, Jackie," she chided her reflection. "You made love to Michael, and now you two will be together forever. It won't hurt anymore, not after the first time. And you'll get married and…"

Her voice trailed off, the eyes in the mirror growing wide. What if Michael broke up with her? She knew it had happened to some of the girls in school—could list which ones. They had slept with their boyfriends, thinking they loved them, and then, sometimes days, sometimes only minutes later, the boys had dumped them. The jerks had gotten what they wanted.

What if Michael was like that? What if all this time he'd only been waiting for sex so he could leave her? She thought of the big, dopey grin on his face after he'd…finished, thought of how easy it had been for him to roll away from her and get dressed, how quickly he'd left afterward. Had he even kissed her goodbye? She couldn't remember now.

Dread made its way into her belly, tightening the already sick feeling there. She had given him her precious innocence; she was his forever now. He couldn't leave her. He just couldn't. Jackie would do whatever she had to in order to hold onto the only love she would ever know.


	15. That Wrestling Show

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, hints of Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A missing scene, Hyde's POV.

**That Wrestling Show**

Jackie's gasps were audible and near constant. Somehow, she made herself heard even over the raucous cheering of everyone else.

It was driving Hyde nuts.

Another little midget hit the floor. Hyde laughed, but there it was again, that gasp of fear and sympathy. Damn it, she was even more annoying than Bob. He couldn't take it anymore.

"Jackie," he snarled, turning around, "if it bugs you so much, don't watch."

Jackie glared at him. "It doesn't bug me, Hyde. _You _bug me." She turned an adoring smile up at Kelso. "I love wrestling. Wrestling is the best thing in the world, except for Michael. Michael is better than everything."

Kelso laughed and winked at Hyde, not even trying to be subtle as he gestured from himself to Jackie.

Hyde turned away, disgusted. He didn't care what Kelso said; there was no way Kelso was great in bed. Sex had just unhinged Jackie more than ever, not surprising with someone wound that tight.

"Michael, where are you going?" Panic laced Jackie's voice.

"Uh, to the bathroom. All this punching people in the kidneys makes me have to take a leak."

"Oh. Well, hurry back, _lover_."

Hyde grimaced, while Kelso laughed and stumbled his way out of the seats to the bathroom.

THWACK! Rocky Johnson body-slammed his latest opponent.

Little hands grabbed Hyde's arms from behind, and he felt a face bury itself in his back, between his shoulder blades.

Hyde shook off Jackie's touch and turned to glare at her. "What the hell, Jackie?"

"I'm sorry, Hyde. But I hate this stuff." Her eyes glanced up to the ring, and she shivered. "It's so sweaty and gross and violent, and those leotards do _not _flatter anyone."

He wasn't the least surprised to find she'd been lying to Kelso all day. "Then why'd you come?"

"To be with Michael, of course!"

Hyde shook his head. "Look, Jackie, just because you had sex with Kelso, doesn't mean you have to be around him all the time now."

She narrowed her eyes into those scary little slits of hers. "Oh, like _you _know anything about it. No woman would ever want to make love with you."

_Make love_. She was such a stupid little girl. Like he would ever want to "make love" with anyone. What he wanted was sex, pure and simple, and then be done with them before they could get all crazy and clingy like Jackie.

He voiced his thoughts in the most direct way he could. "Who wants to make love when you can get laid?"

"Ugh!" Jackie's nose wrinkled in disgust. "You're a pig, Hyde. Just…just turn around. I don't want to talk to you anymore."

Hyde hated appearing to follow her orders, but he hated talking to her even more. "Whatever," he muttered, turning back to the ring in time to see an awesome full-body bind.

And once again, Jackie buried herself in his back, arms clinging painfully to him.

"Knock it off!" he ordered, trying to shake her loose.

She held on. "Just until Michael gets back, Hyde. _Pleeeease?_" The words were whimpered in his ear; her breath tickled his neck.

"Whatever." It wasn't worth fighting about. He would only miss more of the match.

Jackie snuggled in closer, laying her cheek against the curve of his shoulder. She didn't watch the show, but every time there was an especially loud _thud_ or _crack_, her arms tightened around Hyde's middle, hugging him.

A few minutes later, he caught sight of Kelso heading back to his seat.

"Uh, Jackie, Kelso."

It was all he needed to say. She pulled herself away in an instant, sitting back in her chair as though she'd never touched him.

Hyde's back still felt the warmth of her body, the imprint of her cheek.

"Hi, Michael! I'm so glad you're back," she cooed to her boyfriend. "I missed you so much. Did you miss me?"

"Uh, sure. What did I miss in the fight?"

"Oh, um, nothing important. You know, more sweating and grunting and hurting people."

"_Damn, _Jackie, that's the best part!"


	16. First Date

**Title:** Filling the Gaps**  
Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Hyde/Donna, Eric/Donna**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A post-ep 100-word drabble, Hyde's POV.  
**Author's Note: **This time, it's a Jackie-free entry. Sorry, I just couldn't find a way to work her in, although you can see this chapter (and Hyde's feelings for Donna) as having far-reaching implications for Hyde's future relationship with Jackie. But mostly this is me wrapping up the whole Hyde/Donna debacle. I'm sure many of you will join me in celebrating that it's over now.

**First Date**

He was done. Donna wanted Forman, so Donna could have Forman. Eric was the kind of guy chicks like Donna fell for anyway—the steady, reliable, "good" guy. Not the burnout nobodies like Hyde.

So he was done. He'd cared more about Donna than any girl he'd ever known, and he'd put himself out there for her. Man, he'd talked about feelings and shit.

But this was it. This was the last time he was letting himself fall this hard. It wasn't worth making a fool out of himself, not when he'd never be good enough anyway.

He was done.


	17. The Pill

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, hints of Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** Missing scenes, Hyde's POV

**The Pill**

"This is it, guys," said Kelso, rising to his feet. "As soon as Jackie gets back, I'm breaking up with her."

"You can't!"

Hyde glanced at Forman. He was acting even twitchier than usual, and that was his second weird outburst about Kelso and Jackie. "What's with you, man? I thought you hated Jackie as much as I do—well, almost. No one hates Jackie as much as I do." He snickered, already picturing the look on her snotty little face when Kelso dumped her.

"Look, I don't hate Jackie, okay? I mean, yes, yes, I do, but she's a nice—"

Hyde snorted. "Anything that starts with 'nice' can't be describing Jackie."

"Okay, you know what? Kelso, she's mean and annoying, and we all hate her, but you can't break up with her…because Jackie's pregnant!"

Kelso's eyes rolled back in his head, and he hit the floor. Hard.

"Oh no, Kelso!" Fez exclaimed, kneeling beside his friend. "The joy of fatherhood has killed him!" He started slapping Kelso's face.

Donna and Jackie charged back into the room, and Hyde heard Jackie say, "I think he knows."

More people were surrounding Kelso, trying to help, or maybe just enjoying the scene. But Hyde found himself frozen, eyes stuck on Jackie's worried face. This was such a grown-up problem, so _real_, out of place in their going-nowhere lives.

Unbidden, all the memories of Edna screaming at him for ruining her life came rising to the surface. Would that be Jackie ten years from now? Bitter, cold, hating everyone and everything, especially her own child?

And what about Kelso? Even if he did the right thing now, Kelso wasn't made for settling down and raising kids. He wasn't ready, not yet, maybe never. How long would it be before he split? Like Bud. Like every guy after him.

Kelso started to rouse. Jackie made her way timidly towards him.

Hyde already knew the script to this show; he didn't need to watch it play out. While everyone else crowded round to see the drama, Hyde slipped away, unnoticed.

* * *

Hyde was heading to Forman's basement when the sound of sobbing stopped him short. Jackie was crying at the top of the stone staircase, and Hyde's first instinct was to turn and walk away. Let Donna deal with it, or Forman, the big girl, or, hell, Kelso. It was Kelso's problem, after all.

But then she looked up at him, said "Hyde" in a voice that wavered like a little girl's, and, for some unfathomable reason, he was walking toward her, settling down next to her on the top step.

"Hey, Jackie, don't cry. It'll be all right, I promise." He didn't know why those words were leaving his mouth, tried and failed to stop them.

"Oh Hyde, it won't! It won't ever be all right ever again." She threw her arms around his neck, laid her head on his chest and kept weeping.

Shit.

He knew he should have walked away.

"Uh, Jackie, how about I go find Donna for you?"

"Ugh! Donna! All she cares about is making sure it doesn't happen to her. I just…I want someone to stay with me for a while. Can you do that, Hyde?"

She raised her head to look at him. Her crazy, blue and green eyes were swollen, her makeup running, nose blotchy. She looked pitiful, and so very, very young.

Shit.

"Fine. I'll stay. But only if you promise to stop crying, okay?"

Jackie nodded. Still looking miserable, she rummaged in her purse until she found a tissue. She wiped her face; as she did, he saw her take in deep, calming breaths.

"What am I going to do, Hyde?"

"Whatever you have to do, I guess." He wouldn't tell her about Edna and Bud, wouldn't weigh her down with the future he already saw for her. It would come soon enough.

"I don't know how to tell my parents. That's why I was sitting here. I can't go home and face them. Daddy will kill Michael, and Mom will be so disappointed in me. I mean, Michael's not even rich!"

"So don't tell them. At least not until you know what Kelso's going to do."

Jackie stared at him, her mismatched eyes probing for something. "Do _you_ know what Michael's going to do?"

Hyde shook his head. "I haven't seen him since I left The Hub."

She slumped, dejected, next to him. Her shoulder brushed his. "I've always wanted to marry Michael, but not yet, not like this."

Again, Hyde thought of Edna, of dreams that soured, of bills that went past due, and houses that crumbled around them. And always, always, the looks—and the words, too—that said it was his fault. For being born. For daring to exist.

Somewhere deep inside, Hyde wanted better than that for Jackie, for her baby. He might hate her breathing guts, but still…she deserved better.

And he would make sure she got it. Kelso would do right by her, even if Hyde had to kick his ass every day for the rest of his life.

But all he said was, "Come on, Jackie. I'll walk you home."

* * *

Hyde sat in stunned silence for a minute more, and then he started to laugh. He laughed and laughed, pointing at Kelso's stricken face.

"That was the best burn ever, man."

And it was. Even Hyde had been relieved when Jackie told Kelso she wasn't pregnant. All his worry for her melted away, and he could go back to hating her in peace. But he couldn't even have imagined what came next.

Jackie dumped Kelso. It was brilliant. It was sheer poetic justice. After all of Kelso's lame, unfulfilled promises to end things with Jackie, _she _broke up with _him_.

Hyde was blown away by the awesomeness of the moment. He enjoyed himself the whole night, adding as many minor burns as he could to his friend's already wounded ego.

It wasn't until later, when he was home, alone in his room, another night of his mother's drunken curses behind him, that Hyde realized he was more than amused by what Jackie had done.

She had impressed the hell out of him, had proven she was ten times smarter than he'd given her credit for being. She was never going to be another Edna.


	18. Career Day

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairing:** Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** Missing scene, Jackie's POV

**Career Day**

"What's _she _doing here?"

Jackie paused in her work on the U-joint. She had overheard all of Hyde's conversation with Mr. Forman, but all that talk about Gross Edna hadn't really interested her. However, now the topic had changed to Jackie's favorite subject: Jackie.

She heard Mr. Forman chuckle. "What's it look like? She's helping me fix the car."

"Why?"

"Someone's got to do it, and Eric's too busy learning how to do a damn girl's job."

"But why _her_, man? Isn't she driving you nuts?"

"Who, Jackie? Nah, she's a good kid. Knew how to hold a flashlight all on her own."

Pride welled up in Jackie at Mr. Forman's supportive words.

"Yeah, but she's gotta be complaining about the grease under her nails, right? And _oh-my-God, her clothes_!" Hyde's voice had turned into that breathy, mocking, girl one he used especially to annoy her.

Jackie frowned. She honestly hadn't thought about her looks all day; she'd been having too much fun. Now, she brought her hand in front of her face and was horrified by what she saw. Michelle, her manicurist, was going to kill her.

"You know, Steven, I think you kids are too hard on Jackie."

Hyde snorted. "You're only saying that because you don't know her."

"No, I'm only saying that because she knows her way around a carburetor. Keep up, son."

Hyde laughed. "I guess that is kind of badass. See ya, Mr. Forman."

Jackie barely heard the footsteps as Hyde walked away. She was a badass. Steven Hyde thought that _she_, Jackie Burkhart, was a badass.

Her nails didn't bother her anymore. Grinning, Jackie went back to work.


	19. Punk Chick

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde, Hyde/Chrissy  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **Missing scene, Hyde's POV**  
Author's Notes: **So this episode is out of place in the original way the episodes were aired. I think it must have been filmed earlier, and then delayed for whatever reason, because it happens sometime during Jackie and Kelso's breakup. For that reason, I'm moving it up in my story, so that it fits the chronology, even if it doesn't match up with the episode list.

**Punk Chick**

The rattle of ice in a glass caught Hyde's attention as soon as came through the door. But the person behind the Formans' bar was the last one he expected to see there.

He paused in the stairwell, watching as Jackie filled the cocktail shaker with vodka, Triple Sec, lemon juice, and sugar. She shook it—expertly, Hyde thought—for a long time, before pouring the concoction into a martini glass.

"Aha!"

Jackie jumped but didn't spill the drink in her hand. "God, Hyde, what did you do that for?"

"Little Miss I-Hate-Beer has been holding out on us. So what, you like your liquor hard and sweet?"

Jackie wrinkled her nose in disgust. "No. What gave you that idea?" She looked at the drink in her hand. "This? Oh, this is for Mrs. Forman."

"Yeah, right. I've never seen Mrs. Forman drink anything like that."

"Really? I didn't know. She asked me to fix her a drink, and this is my mom's favorite."

"So that makes it natural for you to mix it like a trained bartender?"

"My mom taught me how when I was eight, okay? She needed someone to bring her cocktails on the maid's day off."

Hyde struggled to keep his disinterested expression at this unexpected revelation into Jackie's supposedly perfect life. "Edna gave me my first beer when I was eight." He didn't know why he said that. He knew her response would be a dig at his white trash life.

But, for the third time in the space of a few minutes, Jackie surprised him. "No wonder you want to leave," she said softly. She looked at him, and her expression was…sympathetic? empathetic? what?

This whole thing was getting too bizarre for Hyde. "Yeah, well, I'm sure you'll be glad to have me gone," he said, trying to turn the subject to their mutual hatred.

Jackie frowned. Her eyes swept over him, and Hyde felt strangely exposed. "You know, I thought breaking up with Michael would make me happy—or at least make me feel free. It didn't. I don't like change. I don't like losing people."

Was that Jackie's way of saying she would miss him? In case he needed anymore proof that she was nuts. He certainly wouldn't miss her.

"That's because you're part of the establishment, Jackie, and change is the enemy of the establishment."

Jackie shook her whole body, as though she were shaking his words off her mind like water from her hair. "I hate it when you talk crazy."

"I hate it when you talk."

"Fine, then! I won't tell you that Mr. and Mrs. Forman are waiting for you in the kitchen to talk you out of moving to New York."

"Why would they do that?"

"Because apparently, they care about you or something. God knows why."

"They don't need to worry. I can take care of myself, man."

"Sure you can." But her mouth twisted in an ironic, doubtful smile. "Anyway, good luck, Hyde."

Hyde went to the kitchen without another word to her, but, for some weird reason, that last smile, those last words of Jackie's, stayed with him long after everything else about his short time with Chrissy had faded.

--

**Author's Notes (2): **The drink Jackie mixed was a lemon drop martini, and I decided on it while internet researching drinks from the '70s and found that it was a drink developed in single bars in San Francisco. Somehow, that sold it to me as the kind of drink Pam would love.


	20. Prom Night

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde; implied Jackie/Kelso, Kelso/Pam Macy  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** Missing scene, Hyde's POV

**Prom Night**

"Thank you so much, Steven. This is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me."

"No, it's not." Hyde grimaced as he pulled the Lincoln out into the street. "I'm not 'nice.'"

Jackie smiled at him, shy and coy, and how someone could manage to be both at the same time, he didn't know, but she did. "I know you're not, and that's what makes it extra-special, super nice."

"Forget it. You were crying, and…just…well…" He cleared his throat, pulled himself together, remembered Zen. "Forget it."

"I'll shut up about it, since it makes you so uncomfortable, but I'll never forget it, Steven. Not as long as I live."

_Steven_. Why did she keep calling him that tonight? She never had before. _Steven_ was what adults called him. It was a curse on his mother's lips, disappointment from his teachers, acceptance from the Formans.

But the way Jackie said it, his given name sounded different, unfamiliar. Unsettling. Part of him wanted to tell her to stop calling him that—like he'd told her he didn't want her kisses, after that kiss his cheek still burned from—but something checked the words on his tongue.

He didn't want her to know he'd noticed. That was all.

Jackie sighed, long and deep, as she turned to face out the window. Thinking about Kelso again, no doubt. Hyde had stupidly thought better of her since she dumped that doofus, but he understood now. It was all part of her dramatics. The Jackie and Kelso Show would run forever.

Good riddance to both of them. The morons deserved each other. Hyde only wished she would have spared him the bewitched, evil tears that dragged him into their mess.

"Steven?"

"Yeah?" And that was another thing he hated. Why was his voice all soft with her tonight? He was only a fake date; he didn't _have _to be nice to her.

He didn't want her to start crying again. That was all.

"Do you think Michael's having a good time at the prom without me?"

Given that Kelso's prom date was Pam Macy, Hyde thought there was a fifty-fifty chance Kelso was still in the parking lot with his pants around his ankles, but that kind of logic would only bring on more Jackie tears.

So he went with the other fifty percent chance. "What? Are you kidding me? He's gonna be spending all his time watching the door to see who you walk in with. And, lucky for you, you've got the best last-minute prom non-date ever." He smirked at her.

Jackie laughed, and Hyde liked the sound. It was much better than crying, at any rate. "Oh Steven, thank you. You were right, too. You know, earlier—you do clean up nice."

And there it was again. That gentle, bewildered look in her face she'd had when she said, _"So are you." _

Crap. What the hell was that supposed to mean?

He was glad to see the gym ahead, to have a reason to look away from her. This whole night was too damn confusing. This was why he avoided these government-sponsored hormone fests to begin with. He would much rather be in Forman's basement, watching Gilligan fail once again to bang one of the hot chicks or get off the island.

Instead, he was here. At the prom. With Jackie.

He turned off the engine and stared up at the well-lit, streamer-draped building. His stomach contracted; he thought he might be sick.

"Steven?" Jackie sounded concerned. "Are you ready?"

"What? Oh yeah, sure." He stepped out of the car, remembering to go around and open Jackie's door for her.

He never opened doors for dates, but this wasn't a real date. He didn't have to worry about her coming to expect things from him—and it _was _the prom. This was what idiot guys who took girls to the prom did. That was all.

Jackie put her hand in his as she stood. It was so tiny. _She _was so tiny. Like a little doll you'd find in a toyshop window.

"Thank you, Steven."

Jeez, what was with all the thanks? Hyde would be glad when this night was over, when she quit being polite, he quit being a gentleman, and she quit calling him _Steven_ in that stupid, breathy voice of hers. They could forget this ever happened and go back to hating each other.

The way things were meant to be.

"Whatever," he replied, trying to build back some trace of that animosity.

It was a lost cause, as she slipped her hand through his arm. Together, they started toward the gym.

"Oh Steven, one more thing."

She pulled him to a stop. He was forced once again to look at her, to see that she was beautiful—it was criminal to be that damn beautiful—whether he wanted to or not. And he didn't. He didn't.

"Yeah? What?"

"Your mother was wrong." Her voice was quiet, so unlike her usual shrill tone. "Nobody's going to laugh at you."

She smiled and kept walking. Hyde kept pace, knowing she meant to be supportive. But, of course, they were going to laugh. He wanted to laugh at himself: a stupid fool, dressed up and going to the prom, turned inside out and upside down, and all because of Jackie Burkhart's teary, mismatched eyes.


	21. A New Hope

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso; heavily implied Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary:** A dialogue-only exchange between Hyde, Jackie and Kelso, inspired by one of Kelso's comments in the circle.

**A New Hope**

"Here's a clue, Jackie: nobody cares."

"Oh, shut up, Hyde. Just because _you _don't have anything interesting to say…"

"Guys, you aren't listening! She is really in love with _him_. All the signs are there."

"Jackie, just because you talk all the damn time doesn't make it interesting."

"So I should be more like you? Sit around, doing nothing, not caring about anything, hiding behind dumb sunglasses even in the dark."

"Come on! The way they fight like that? It's sexual tension, man."

"You know what, Jackie? That's a great idea. Now, why don't you take your spoiled princess butt home and practice!"

"Like I'd listen to orders from a dirty rebel hippie like you!"

"It's so freakin' obvious! Tell me you guys see it, too!"

"Stuff it, Kelso."

"Shut UP about stupid _Star Wars_, Michael!"


	22. Water Tower

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso; hints of Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **Missing scene, Jackie's POV

**Water Tower**

Jackie bit her lip and paced the waiting room. Poor Michael. What if he was permanently disfigured? Or paralyzed? She sighed, as images of herself pushing Michael around in a wheelchair ran through her mind. God, she would be the best, most devoted girlfriend ever. Everyone would notice and shower praise down upon her. They might have a parade in her honor.

Lost in her dreamy haze, Jackie bumped straight into Hyde, returning with a soda.

"Damn it, Jackie! You almost made me spill my drink."

"Oh, that's real nice, Hyde. Michael's in there fighting for his life, and you're drinking soda!"

"Don't be stupid. It's just a hurt arm. If Kelso were really 'fighting for his life,' I'd have gotten a beer." Hyde snickered and joined the rest of their friends on the uncomfortable waiting room chairs.

Jackie glared after him. Hyde had been so nice to her for a while—when she thought she was pregnant, when he took her to prom—but ever since she got back together with Michael, he had gone back to being that same obnoxious jerk he'd been before.

He could be nice to her, but not while she was with Michael. Why was that?

"Oh my God!" Jackie's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes widening as she began to understand. "Hyde hates Michael!"

It made so much sense. Hyde was always burning Michael, making fun of him, ordering him to do stuff, poking his eye. It wasn't out of friendship. It was jealousy.

Of course. Hyde was obviously jealous of Michael's good looks, his gorgeous face.

The night's events rushed through Jackie's mind. Hyde was the one who had told Michael to go up on that railing. He probably _wanted _Michael to fall, so Michael wouldn't be the prettiest anymore.

"Excuse me." A nurse with clipboard in hand walked into the waiting room. "Who here is waiting for Michael Kelso?"

"We all are," Donna said. Eric would normally have been the group spokesman, but he was being all twitchy and non-verbal. "Is Kelso okay?"

"He's fine. I can take you all to see him if you like."

Along with the rest of the gang, Jackie followed her. She nearly collided with Hyde for the second time that night, as they both reached the door at the same time. Stepping through first, Jackie whirled to give him a piece of her mind. "I'm so onto you, Steven Hyde, and I'm going to make sure everyone else is, too!"

"Huh? What the hell is wrong with you now?"

"Oh, it's not me. It's _you_—you and your stupid, temporary niceness! I see what's going on here. You hate Michael."

"No, I hate _you_. So move." Without waiting for her to respond, Hyde took her arms and maneuvered Jackie out of the doorway, so he could walk through.

Jackie fumed as she watched Hyde say a few words to Michael before lying down on Michael's hospital bed. She didn't care what Hyde said. There was something off about his changes in behavior toward her, something different about the way he treated Michael than the rest of his friends. She wished she could figure out what it was.

But in the meantime, Michael had to be warned. Hyde was no kind of friend.

--

**Author's Note: **I just want to thank you all for the great feedback I've been getting on this story! I especially want to single out karjay, Starlight77, Andie, AliCat, and cookie207 for their thoughtful and encouraging feedback on so many different chapters. You have no idea what an inspiration and a motivator that kind of positive response is. So thank you very much!


	23. Grandma's Dead

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **Missing scene, Hyde's POV

**Grandma's Dead**

"Okay, your turn, Hyde."

"My turn for what?"

Jackie lifted her head to glare at Hyde, first aid kit still open on her lap. Kelso sat in front of her, proud as a six-year-old of the band-aid she had applied to the cut on his knuckles.

"Your lip is split. It needs to be treated."

"No way, Jackie. It'll heal on its own, like every other cut I've had since I was, I don't know, _born_."

"Aww, come on, Hyde. If you're good, and sit real still, she'll give you a lollipop. But you can't have red—I took the last one." Kelso grinned like the moron he was and licked his sucker.

"What's the point if there's no cherry?"

Kelso started snickering immediately. Hyde smirked. Jackie ignored—or possibly didn't get—Hyde's innuendo; instead, she strode purposefully to where he stood and pushed on Hyde's shoulders until he sat down. For a tiny girl midget, she was surprisingly strong.

"Sit here. I'm going to be nice and fix your lip, whether you like it or not!" She pulled the ottoman close to Hyde's chair and perched herself on the edge. Even with the first aid kit again in her lap, she looked more like Janice Dickinson than Florence Nightingale.

"It's fine, Jackie. I put ice on it last night and—OW!" he shouted, as she swiped his lip with a cotton ball. "What the hell was that? It hurt worse than the punch that split it."

"Oh, quit being such a baby! You're worse than Michael."

Having watched Kelso whimper like a sick puppy when his wounds were treated, Hyde knew that was a lie.

"That was to clean it. _This _will make it feel better." Jackie dipped a finger in some oily salve and brought it towards Hyde's face.

Hyde pulled back, dodging the medicine. "You know what? It feels better already."

Jackie rolled her eyes. "This won't sting, you big wuss." She grabbed the back of his neck with her left hand. Hyde froze at the feel of her fingers tangled in the curls of his hair.

Jackie brought her right hand to his mouth. Her index finger slid across the split on his bottom lip. He could feel the slick, greasy medicine and, beneath it, the soft pad of her finger. Her fingernail lightly scratched the sensitive skin of his inner lip. Without conscious thought, Hyde pressed his lips forward into the touch.

Jackie's eyes widened. She yanked her hands away from him, enfolding the one that had been against his mouth into her chest. "You're, uh, you're done." Hyde watched the pulse throbbing in her neck. "Just don't eat or drink anything for half an hour."

"You know, Jackie, it sucks that Hyde's the one who got punched in the mouth."

"What!?" Jackie spun to face her boyfriend. The way she jumped made Hyde wonder if she had forgotten Kelso was there. "Why's that?"

"If it had been me, you could have kissed it better." Kelso gave her a besotted smile.

Scarlet color flooded Jackie's face. She jumped to her feet, nearly knocking the first aid kit to the ground, before she caught it. "Michael, take me home."

"But, Jackie—"

"_Now_, Michael!"

"_Fine_! I never get to stay for the good parties."

"It's not a party. It's a wake, you dillhole," Hyde snapped. Kelso was being extra-stupid today, or maybe Hyde just had less patience with it than usual.

What with Eric's dead grandma and all.

"Well, I'm awake, too, Hyde, and I'd rather be at the party. _Jeez_."

"Too bad, Michael. We're leaving. Come on." Jackie grabbed her dimwitted boyfriend by the wrist and pulled him out of the Formans' basement.

Hyde sat and watched T.V., absently running his thumb across his split lip.


	24. Hyde Moves In

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary: **Missing scene, Jackie's POV

**Hyde Moves In**

"I already told you. I am _not_ skinny dipping, Michael!"

"Aww, come on, Jackie. We need another girl, or there will be more guys than girls, and that's a little creepy."

"Michael, even if I went, there would _still _be more guys than girls."

"Just leave her, Kelso. She's obviously too chicken."

"Excuse me! I am not chicken, just because I don't want you jerks to see me naked!"

"Of course you don't, because it's like I've always said—underneath those clothes, you're covered in scales."

"I am _not _covered in scales, Steven Hyde!"

"Only one way to prove it."

"I don't have to prove anything to you! Michael, tell him how beautiful I am naked."

"Uh, sorry, Jackie, I can't really remember right now, on account of all those clothes you're wearing. Maybe if you went skinny dipping with us, it would come back to me."

Michael and Hyde thought they were so brilliant, that they could goad her into taking her clothes off. Well, it wasn't going to work. She was going to stay right here, warm and dry and _clothed_ on the shore. She folded her arms and glared at them. "No."

"Come on, Jackie—"

"Never mind, Kelso. I get why she won't go now. Look at Donna over there." Hyde grinned lewdly and gestured to the water's edge where Donna was tugging off her pants. "Jackie knows she'll never be as hot as that, and she doesn't want us to see and compare."

Jackie marched over to Hyde and yelled up at his stupid, smug face, "I am a hundred times hotter than that lumberjack will ever be!"

Hyde raised an eyebrow. "Prove it."

Ugh! He was so…he was so…

Without breaking eye contact, Jackie pulled her shirt over her head and threw it to the ground.

"All right!" Michael tripped over his own feet in his haste to shed all his clothes at once. "I'm coming in!" He barreled between Jackie and Hyde—who still faced off, one livid, the other impassive—on his way into the reservoir.

Slowly, Hyde reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it off in one smooth motion.

Jackie's eyes felt magnetized to his. It was a pull she couldn't break. She shimmied her skirt off her hips and stood shivering in her bra and panties.

Hyde said nothing. He didn't laugh at her and tell her she was nothing next to Donna. He didn't fall to his knees and declare her the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

He unclasped his belt buckle.

The sound of his jeans unzipping brought Jackie back to her senses. She turned and ran to the water, to safety, discarding her undergarments as she went. She swam straight into her boyfriend's arms.

"Michael, hold me."

"You cold, baby?"

"Yes." It was a lie. She was burning up.


	25. The Good Son

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde, Jackie/Kelso**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **Missing scene, Hyde's POV

**The Good Son**

Hyde was doing his best to focus on the long-standing implications for American expansionism stemming from the Louisiana Purchase, but it was such a freaking drag. Especially since he knew it was all greedy, capitalist propaganda.

But he had promised Mrs. Forman he would try.

Damn it.

The door flew open, then immediately slammed shut. Hyde was almost grateful for the interruption, until he saw Jackie stomping in, arms crossed, lips pouting, even bitchier-looking than usual.

He decided the Louisiana Purchase had some merit after all. He buried his face in the book.

It didn't stop Jackie, though. He had found that few things did. She stomped over to the couch and sat down hard enough that the cushions flopped around her.

"Ugh! Michael!"

Oh great. She was pissed at Kelso and dying to tell someone about it. But he wasn't going to be the one. He scribbled some random fact in his notebook, hoping she'd take the hint and clear out.

"Um, what are you doing?"

"Writing my letter to _Penthouse_."

"No, you're not. You're studying!"

"Well, would you look at that? I am. So scram."

"But, Hyde, I've never seen you study before!"

"And you never will again, but today, I am studying. And I study best alone." He drew out the last word, motioning her towards the door.

"Oh fine. Just let me tell you about Michael first."

"No."

"I'm not leaving until you do."

"Yes, you are." He set down his books and yanked her up off the couch, bending to take her over his shoulder. She weighed practically nothing, and he walked towards the door, feeling quite proud of the way he'd handled this one.

Her teeth sank deep into his lower back.

"OW! You little—" He plopped her down on the floor. He didn't care how hard she landed, wouldn't have cared if she cracked her vicious head open.

She landed on her butt instead and sat there, rubbing it and glaring at him. "That was uncalled for, Hyde!"

"You bitme, Jackie!"

"Yeah, well, you were manhandling me! What else was I supposed to do?"

"Um, _not _bite me?"

Jackie pushed herself to her feet. "You were throwing me out of the house, just because I asked you to take five minutes away from your book and listen to me!"

"Jackie, I'd have thrown you out for making me give up thirty seconds of scrubbing toilets to listen to you."

"I—I…Fine!" Jackie's mismatched eyes welled with tears of fury and mortification. She turned and ran from the house.

Ah crap. Hyde closed his eyes, letting out a deep breath. He hadn't meant to make her cry. Maybe he should…

He felt a twinge in his back from her bite, and thought better of it.

Hyde turned around, and there stood Mrs. Forman by the washing machine, a basket of clothes resting against her hip. She had that same expression from when she found out about his failed test. Man, he hated that look.

"Steven, I can't believe you spoke to Jackie like that! I'm disappointed in you."

Hyde winced. Not again. His eyes lowered. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Forman. I'll try to be…" He couldn't say it.

Bemused, Mrs. Forman smiled. "Nicer?"

"Uh, yeah, that."

"You're a good boy, Steven. I think I'm going to make a blueberry pie for dessert."

"That sounds great, Mrs. Forman. Thanks."

He didn't care how hard he had to try. Living with the Formans was worth the effort.


	26. Garage Sale

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, hints of Jackie/Hyde, Jackie/Other  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A 100-word drabble, Jackie's POV

**Author's Note: **I actually meant to do this with the last chapter of the first season, but I forgot, so I thought I'd add it here. I've had a few questions about how far I'm going to take this series. The answer is at least through season seven, if I can. I go back and forth on season eight; on the one hand, major, major HATE and DENIAL for that crapfest; on the other, I feel like I can somewhat redeem it in my eyes by adding J/H layers to it. I don't know; we'll see. In the meantime, I've already finished all of season two, and I'm working on season three. But as I only have DVDs for the first three seasons right now, and am not sure when I'll be able to get the next few seasons, I'm pacing myself through posting. So enjoy the next couple of chapters, and thanks again for the wonderful feedback! You guys are the greatest!

**Garage Sale**

Until today, she had never kissed anyone but Michael, had never considered kissing anyone else. But after that kiss from Fez, Jackie couldn't help but wonder what she was missing.

Like Brad Jenkins, supposedly the best kisser in school. Or Danny Tompkins' perfect lips.

She fleetingly wondered what kissing Eric would be like, before pushing the mental picture aside with a great, big, "_Ewww_."

She remembered a moonlit night on a rundown porch, her lips brushing a scruffy cheek. She imagined what would have happened if Hyde had turned his face and caught her lips with his.

Her breath hitched.


	27. Red's Last Day

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Hyde/Other, Jackie/Kelso, Kelso/Laurie; hints of Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A missing scene, Hyde's POV

**Red's Last Day**

"So what does a studly young man like you do to pass the time?"

Amy ran her fingers through Hyde's hair, and he grinned. He knew she was old, but damn it, she was hot. Though, that might be the beer talking. He'd had a lot of beer.

"Oh, you know, go to school…when I absolutely can't avoid it. Hang out with my friends."

"Red's scrawny kid and the one belting out 'I Will Survive' from behind the bar?"

Hyde smiled fondly. "Yeah, that'd be them. Well, and Donna. And Kelso, the stupid dillhole."

"Stupid dillhole, huh?" Amy nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I've got a husband like that."

Something about what Amy said bothered him, but he decided to put off thinking about it until later. When he was sober, and his head ached enough that thinking couldn't hurt it more. "He's such a dumbass, you know? He's got this girlfriend, Jackie, and she's…"

"Beautiful?"

"NO! Well, yeah, but…no. She's a whiny, bitchy shrew, and I hate her."

"Good. Then how 'bout you focus on me instead?" Amy leaned closer. She reeked of stale beer and cheap perfume. Hyde's kind of woman.

"Sounds like a plan."

As he was contemplating going in for a kiss, even with Red and the guys here, her face blurred together with another, much younger, big-eyed brunette in his mind. Hyde pulled away, frustrated, and swallowed the last of his beer.

"Damn Kelso," he muttered to his empty tankard.

"Because of Jackie?"

"No! Because of Laurie, man."

"Laurie? Who's Laurie?"

"Forman's sister. Kelso nailed her." He was glad Red was too busy leading a chorus of "In Heaven There Is No Beer" to hear him make that dumb confession.

"Ah, so she's the one you like."

"Laurie? Nah, she's evil. And whorey. Whorey evil. Whorevil."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. It's just Jackie, she's…Never mind. It's stupid. Kelso's stupid. Laurie's stupid. The whole thing is…"

"Stupid?"

"Exactly! I'm so glad I met you, Amy. It's nice to have someone to talk to, you know?"

"Uh-huh. Well, if you ever get over this Jackie girl, give me a call, all right, honey?" She handed him a paper with her number on it.

Again, Hyde had the feeling there was something deeply wrong with what she had said; again, he pushed it aside for later. When the room stopped spinning.

For now, he had gotten a chick's phone number with minimal effort on his part, and the bartender brought him a new beer. It was a good night.


	28. The Velvet Rope

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso; hints of Jackie/Hyde, Kelso/Laurie  
**Rating:** PG-13**  
Summary: **Missing scenes, Jackie's POV  
**Author's Notes: **Maybe I should just call it a warning. There's more Jackie/Kelso sex in this one. I know. It turns my stomach, too.

**The Velvet Rope**

"So…you're really not going to the club tonight?"

Jackie let her magazine drop into her lap. She looked to her left, to her right, all around the basement. It was as she'd thought. There was no one else here, which meant that Hyde was talking to her…voluntarily.

He wasn't looking at her—his shielded eyes were glued to the television—but he had asked her a question, and she…had not answered it yet.

"Oh, oh yeah…no, I'm not. Why do you care?"

"I don't. I just thought this club was your kind of thing. Weren't you the one who dragged us all to that stupid disco last year?"

"Well, yeah, but…" Jackie felt her face flushing. She couldn't explain to Hyde why this night with Michael was so important to her.

The truth was while sex, er, _making love _with Michael had stopped hurting—for the most part—she had yet to enjoy it the way she'd heard girls _could _enjoy it. And after much thought, she had realized it was because they only ever had a few, quick, stolen moments together. But, tonight, there would be hours of just her, just him, just them. Tonight was going to be the magical moment she'd spent years dreaming of.

But all she said to Hyde was, "I don't want to go to that stupid club."

"Whatever." He went back to his T.V. show, she went back to her magazine, but, again, to her surprise, Hyde broke the silence. "What are you still doing here anyway?"

Jackie rolled her eyes. Typical Hyde. He wasn't really interested in her plans. He wanted her out of the basement he thought of as his. "Michael had to borrow something from Eric."

Hyde raised his head toward the ceiling, and the expression on his face shifted slightly. "You know, it's great having _Laurie_ back in the house."

Jackie wrinkled her nose, in confusion and distaste. "But, Hyde, you hate Laurie. I've heard you call her a whore, like, a million times."

"Yeah, she is. She'll give it up to freakin' _anybody_, you know? Other women's husbands, or _boyfriends_."

"Sure. Like a college drop-out version of Pam Macy."

"_Exactly_. Hey, Jackie, remember that time Kelso made out with Pam Macy behind the gym?"

Jackie glared at Hyde. "All right. You've got what you wanted. I'm leaving. Tell Michael I'll be at my house." She grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

"Jackie, wait."

Jackie obediently stopped, her hand on the doorknob, and turned around. Hyde had half-risen from his chair. Had he been about to come after her? She frowned. He was acting so weird today. "What?"

He sat there for a moment, mouth bobbing like a fish—or like Eric—then settled back in his chair. "Nothing." He crossed his arms, all his attention back on _Three's Company_. "Enjoy your 'studying.'"

"That's the plan," Jackie muttered as she left the basement behind.

--

He pushed up her skirt and ripped off her panties the second her back hit the bed.

"Mich—" she tried to protest, but he kissed her again, and she couldn't.

By the time his mouth left hers, he'd somehow shed all his clothes below the waist and brought himself to her entrance.

"Michael! Remember, my parents are going to be gone for _hours_." She gave him what she hoped was a leading look. He had to pick up on her hints. She was being so obvious.

"I know, baby. That's great." With a groan, he was inside her. His hands slid under her blouse, found her breasts, and squeezed.

Fifty-eight seconds later, he was done.

Jackie pulled her skirt down, grabbed a magazine and wished she'd gone to the club.


	29. Laurie and the Professor

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde; implied Jackie/Kelso, Kelso/Laurie**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episode ficlet, Hyde's POV

**Laurie and the Professor**

"Michael?"

The light bulb clicked on, causing red circles to swim behind Hyde's eyelids. He groaned. He was never going to get any sleep ever again.

"Oh, it's you. Do you know where Michael is?"

"Does it look like I know?" Hyde griped. But he sat up and looked at Jackie. In her perfect makeup and expensive dress, she looked completely out of place amongst the grungy boxes and leaky pipes.

"This is so weird. I know he came over here to see Eric, but I can't find him anywhere, and Eric said he hasn't seen him since this afternoon."

Hyde grimaced, remembering Kelso and Laurie on his cot. Good thing he'd found them before they defiled his sanctuary with their unholy union.

"You're _sure _you haven't seen him?"

"I said no, all right?" Hyde snapped. Damn Kelso, making him feel bad for lying to _Jackie_, of all people.

"All right! I get it. I'm going." But she didn't leave. She looked curiously around at all the filth surrounding her. "So…this is your room now, huh?"

"Yeah. So?" Hyde bristled, expecting a jibe about how dirty, or poor, or possibly dirty and poor he was.

"Nothing. It's, uh, nice. But you know what would really bring this place together? Some twinkle lights, and big, fluffy pillows, and ooh, scented candles to cover up that smell!"

Hyde reached up and pulled the string above his bed, turning off the single light. "Night, Jackie."

"Fine! I was only trying to help." She stumbled her way out through the darkness.

There was a thud, an "OW," and Hyde smiled to himself as he shut his eyes. He loved his new room.


	30. Halloween

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde, Jackie/Kelso  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-ep (except for the credits) ficlet, Jackie's POV

**Halloween**

She was going to kill him. That's all there was to it. He had revealed her best kept secret, the one thing about her that was not exquisitely beautiful, and for that, he must die.

She hit him again and again and again, pushing him away, out of sight of their stupid, laughing friends.

Suddenly, Hyde was falling backwards, and before she could laugh at the idiot tripping over a tree root, he had grabbed her around the waist, and she was going down with him.

Jackie put out her hands to stop the face-crunching landing she anticipated. They hit the ground above Hyde's shoulders to either side of his head. His body cushioned the fall for hers, and there she lay with her face suspended inches above Steven Hyde's.

She always forgot how blue his eyes were without his glasses to hide behind.

She could feel his chest rise and fall beneath her, smell the sweetness of Fez's stolen candy on his breath.

Her brain had short-circuited. Clearly. Because she should be pulling herself off of him, continuing her assault and Hyde's slow, painful death, but instead all she could think about was how good Hyde's hands felt as they rested on her hips.

Come to think of it, why wasn't Hyde yelling at her and pushing her away from him?

She looked down at him, paralyzed, and saw him pull his lips in, wetting them. Was he…did he think…were they…?

"Hey, Jackie, Hyde, where'd you go? Come on, guys, it's creepy out here!"

Michael's voice made Jackie jump. She started to stand, but Hyde yanked her back, placing a hand over her mouth. He let go of his hold on her body in order to bring a finger to his lips; then he sat up and gestured toward the sound of Michael's approaching footsteps.

Jackie considered for a moment, but finally nodded. She was still pissed enough at Michael to justify scaring him a bit. She eased slowly off of Hyde and followed him, crouching, through the bushes. They stopped and hid, squatting, behind a particularly thick hedge.

"Jackie? Are you, um, there?" An owl hooted; Jackie heard Michael crash through a bush. "This isn't funny, _Hyde_!"

"Oh, I beg to differ," Hyde whispered, close to Jackie's ear.

She shivered.

Her body hurt from the uncomfortable position, long before she saw Michael's shoes at a distance.

"Dude, where are you guys?"

Hyde jumped up, screaming like a wild man.

Michael ran away, screaming like a little girl.

Jackie giggled as she got to her feet. "He deserved that for pushing me out of the way earlier. Thank you, Hyde."

"You're welcome…Beulah."

She hit him all the way back to the gang.


	31. Vanstock

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Hyde/Other; implied Kelso/Laurie; hints of Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary: **A post-ep ficlet

**Vanstock**

"Hey, Hyde."

"Hey, Jackie, where's your new best friend?"

"Ugh! She is _not_ my best friend." Pouting, Jackie sat down on the log across from Hyde.

Hyde hid his smirk behind his beer can. "Uh-oh. Trouble in paradise?"

"Laurie is such a moron! She actually thinks that John Travolta is hotter than Donny Osmond."

Hyde nearly choked on his drink. "_That's _what's got you so upset?"

Jackie shot him an annoyed look. "Oh, what do you know? You're the one who's drinking at nine o'clock in the morning. Isn't that too white trash even for you, Hyde?"

"Only if I stopped drinking at some point last night, which I didn't."

"You didn't go to bed?"

"Couldn't. I was on a quest for a topless girl."

Jackie rolled her eyes. "That's not much of a quest. I've seen at least half a dozen since we've been here, and I wasn't even looking."

"Yeah." Hyde grinned. "It was a good night."

"So you're saying you've been up all night drinking and having sex with complete strangers? That's disgusting!"

"That's Vanstock."

"_Ewww_. Where's Michael? I want to go home now."

"Last I saw, he was racing some dogs toward the lake."

"There are dogs here? Oh great, now he'll never want to leave."

"So you might as well enjoy yourself. Want a beer?"

"_No_! I'm not one of your Vanstock floozies, _Hyde!_"

"Speaking of floozies, what all did you and Laurie talk about last night?"

He had tried to be completely Zen as he asked, but Jackie still gave him a curious look. "Why do you care?"

"I don't. But I thought you were bored, and you love talking, so…" Hyde shrugged.

"Well, we didn't talk about anything _you _would care about, Hyde. We didn't talk about beer, or stupid rock music, or…or topless girls! Though we did talk about slutty Pam Macy, which is almost the same."

"Oh yeah? You tell Laurie about that time Kelso made out with her behind the gym?"

"No, I did not!" Jackie pouted, then sighed and went on, "Fez did. He also told her about the time _you _fooled around with her in the back of Daddy's Lincoln on prom night." Jackie, for some odd reason, looked hurt, which was ludicrous, since he'd only been with Pam so Jackie could get her idiot boyfriend back in the first place.

"Cheer up. We didn't stain anything."

"_Ewwww!_"

Hyde chuckled. "You brought it up, man."

"No, I didn't!"

"Yes, you did."

"Well, if I did, it's your fault! I don't know why I'm talking to you anyway. I'm going to find Michael." She stood to leave.

At that precise moment, Kelso came barreling past, on all fours, soaking wet and dressed only in his underwear. His tongue was hanging out, and he was surrounded by equally wet, panting dogs.

Jackie stood frozen until they had passed, then slowly sank back to the log. "I'll have that beer now."

Hyde smirked, handing her one without a word.


	32. I Love Cake

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary: **A post-ep ficlet

**I Love Cake**

"What's going on here?" Jackie demanded the second she stepped into the basement.

Michael ran up to her, hand shielding the left side of his face. "Hyde hit my eye and stole my jacket! Make him give it back, Jackie!"

Jackie looked across the room. Hyde leaned against the deep freeze, wearing the leather jacket she had bought for Michael. With his arms crossed and a smirk plastered to his face, he looked…he looked…

Jackie swallowed. Hard.

"I didn't steal the jacket. You threw it to the floor and stomped on it, you moron."

"Yeah, but that didn't mean I didn't want it! _God_, Hyde!"

"Wait a minute! You threw away your jacket, Michael? The one _I _bought you?"

"Uh…see…well…see ya!" Michael stumbled out of the room and ran up the stairs.

Jackie stayed behind, staring at Hyde. The very air around him crackled with a dangerous, enticing energy.

"I suppose you want this back, huh?"

Jackie blinked. "What?"

"The jacket. I wouldn't give it back to that dillhole, but if you want to take it back to the store, get your money back…"

"Oh. Oh, well, if Michael stomped all over it like you said, they probably wouldn't take it back. So you might as well, you know, keep it. If you want."

Hyde nodded, his hands resting on his belt buckle. God, she wanted to…

"That's cool."

"Nngggh." Jackie shook her head at the inarticulate sound. Had that come from her mouth?

"What's that, Jackie?" Hyde was smirking at her. Like he _knew_. And he liked it. It was so hot. And wrong.

And hot.

But wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

"Nothing! I'm…I'm going horseback riding now. Bye." She turned and ran away.


	33. Sleepover

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso; hints of Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **100-word drabble, post-ep

**Sleepover**

"_No_, Michael! We're going to cuddle."

"Why cuddle when you can do it?"

"Because, Michael! It proves that our love is pure."

"That's crazy talk."

"Go home, Michael!"

"Fine! But don't come crying to me when you wanna do it! I mean, call me, baby, but no crying."

Jackie lay alone after he'd gone, snuggling Fluffycakes. Maybe it was true of all guys—once they'd had sex, nothing else mattered.

Still, that night, she dreamed of protective arms holding her and warm breath against her ear. When she turned over to see him, he vanished in a haze of smoke.


	34. Eric Gets Suspended

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Hyde/Other; hints of Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **100-word drabble

**Eric Gets Suspended**

Hyde sat in The Hub, dumbfounded. The girl who was so perfect for him had to go home and _study_, while the Virgin Mary he had given up was going home to her hot tub with _Fez_.

The world was upside down, man.

There was a commotion outside, a van driving slowly down the street, while someone yelled out the window. "Jackie, get in the van!"

"No." A silhouette of Jackie passed The Hub's door, Kelso keeping a nonexistent pace beside her.

"Come on, Jackie! Please get in—"

"No."

Hyde grinned. And all was once again right with the world.


	35. Red's Birthday

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Eric/Donna, Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Fez; hints of Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **100-word drabble

**Red's Birthday**

He was surrounded by morons. First, there was Forman with his, "Donna doesn't talk to me, she just sucks my tongue, wah, wah," bullshit.

Then there was Kelso, screwing around on Jackie and somehow managing _not _to get caught, despite being dumber than dirt.

And finally, there was Fez, calling Jackie a goddess and thinking he had a shot with a chick like her.

It was a sad day when Jackie was starting to look smart compared to the others. Although she hadn't figured out about Kelso yet, so that didn't say much for her either.

Hyde needed smarter friends.


	36. Laurie Moves Out

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso; implied Kelso/Laurie; hints of Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A missing scene

**Laurie Moves Out**

Donna was no help at all, and her little hint about talking to someone else had left Jackie feeling how limited her options were. She couldn't confide in any of her fellow cheerleaders, couldn't bear her humiliation being spread around the school, the way that Jackie had "let slip" about Claire Holloway's night with Lincoln High's star wide receiver.

So, somehow, Jackie found herself walking the hallway to Laurie's old room—Hyde's room now. She was all too aware how pathetic it was that she was seeking advice from her worst enemy, but something about the way he'd been acting lately told her if she wanted answers, Hyde was the person to ask.

_If _she wanted answers.

She wasn't sure she did.

Summoning all her nerve, she barreled into the lavender room she had always rather admired. Hyde was putting shirts in the bureau, but he turned at her entrance.

"Man, haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

"Why? I knew _you _couldn't possibly have a girl in here, and I need to talk to you."

"Tough. I'm busy. So bye."

Jackie ignored him. She ran her hand over Laurie's desk; her eyes were glued to the bed. Laurie's bed. Had she and Michael ever…? Against her will, Jackie began to visualize it.

She shook her head to clear the image. That was it. She had to know. "Hyde, did Michael and Laurie—have they—well, you know?"

"Shared a blow dryer? Played checkers? Lost their very last brain cells?" Even with his glasses on, Jackie could tell Hyde wasn't looking her in the eye.

She decided she'd have to be direct. "Is Michael cheating on me?"

This time, Hyde turned away completely and began stuffing more clothes in the bureau. "How the hell should I know?" he muttered.

"Because you're his friend."

He slammed a dresser drawer shut and turned back to her, advancing menacingly. "Yeah, that's right. I'm _his _friend, not yours. I don't owe you anything."

Jackie refused to cower from his anger; she wasn't sure it was even her he was mad at. Guided by instinct, she reached up and pulled off his sunglasses. Hyde flinched, and those crystal blue eyes of his met hers.

She knew now why he wore those stupid shades all the time. His eyes gave him away. There was truth there—blatant, unguarded honesty. If she asked him again, like this, there was no way he could lie to her.

The truth was a dangerous thing. Jackie swallowed, losing her nerve. She wasn't ready for it.

"Don't worry about it, Hyde," she backtracked. "Anyway, if Michael is cheating, I'll find out for myself. I love the doofus, but that doesn't mean I don't know he's a doofus."

Hyde's mouth turned up in a half-smile, half-smirk. His blue eyes twinkled. "Now, that's the go-get-'em attitude I like to hear. And the best part of that plan? It leaves me out of it."

Jackie laughed. She felt some of the tension drain from her body and was suddenly glad she had come to see Hyde. Even though he wasn't willing to tell her the truth, even though she wasn't ready to face up to what that truth was, he had still made her feel better.

How did he do that?

"Uh, Jackie, my shades?"

"Oh. Right." She reached up and slipped the glasses back over his eyes.

The truth was veiled again. For now.


	37. Eric's Stash

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso; hints of Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A 100-word post-episode drabble

**Eric's Stash**

"Look what I won!" Kelso screamed, rushing into the basement with a sparkly scepter in his hand.

"Congratulations, pageant boy," Hyde sneered.

"Michael! _I _won that!" Jackie entered in a milkmaid's dirndl and clogs. She had a tiara on her head, over little Heidi braids.

Hyde snickered.

Jackie glared at him, hands on hips; it made her dress even puffier. "What are you laughing at?"

"You know, I've had a really crappy day. But this? Makes it all better."

"Shut up, Hyde! I'm Miss Dairy Princess!"

"Moo."

The look on her face was worth being hit by the sparkly scepter.


	38. Hunting

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairing:** Jackie/Kelso  
**Rating:** PG-13**  
Summary: **A 100-word missing scene drabble  
**Notes: **So, um, there was like no way to write a Jackie/Hyde scene from this episode. I thought maybe I could fit it into a girls' dish session, but…nope. On the other hand, I got to write Midge for the first time ever, so YAY! And I know there have been a lot of drabbles lately, but they haven't been great J/H subtext episodes. However, next week, I'll be posting what might be my favorite chapter yet. So thanks to everyone who's sticking with this story, and especially to all you lovely reviewers! You keep me inspired!

**Hunting**

"So, Jackie, you haven't said much. How's your sex life?" Midge asked.

"MOM!"

Jackie shrugged. "Virgins."

"He's very tall, your Michael. You know what they say about tall guys…"

"Oh, no, Midge. Please don't," Kitty whimpered.

"They say they're really tall! Is Michael good in bed?"

"Well, he's…he likes sex a lot. Like, all the time."

Donna slammed her head against the table.

"But is he there for _you_, honey?"

"All right-y! More drinks coming up!" Kitty ran to the living room.

"Pfft, that's what horseback riding's for."

Donna put her hands over her ears and started to hum.


	39. Red Gets a Job

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Kelso/Laurie; hints of Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episode ficlet

**Red Gets a Job**

"Have you seen Michael?"

Hyde didn't even turn away from the TV at the, by now, all-too-familiar question. Last he'd heard, Kelso was in Laurie's room, being forced to look through all her high school yearbooks.

"He's around somewhere." Hyde shrugged.

Jackie sank down on the couch with a petulant sigh. "God, I just don't know what's with him lately. He keeps disappearing, and I know he's not playing hide-and-seek, because he's not this good at it."

Hyde laughed at the memories. Any time the gang played hide-and-seek, Kelso was always the first one found, because he'd leave his hiding place thinking it had been too long and everyone had forgotten him. "Yeah, it's a concentration problem, man."

"He needs to learn to concentrate on _me_. _I'm_ his girlfriend, after all."

Hyde said nothing, kept his Zen. Sure, Kelso was a cheating dog, but it was only on Jackie, so Hyde didn't care. Really. He didn't.

"It's just…I need somebody who listens, you know?"

"Jackie, Kelso never listened to you."

"Yeah, I know. But he used to be better at _pretending_!"

And that's where the flaw lay, Hyde knew. Because if Jackie listened to her gut, she would know by now exactly what Kelso was up to. But she didn't want to know. She wanted to keep pretending that everything was fine, that Kelso could ever be the ideal boyfriend she wanted.

So Hyde let her lose herself in the delusion, though he knew she would only crash the harder when her fantasy dissolved.

That was always the problem with wanting something you couldn't have.


	40. Burning Down the House

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Hyde/Other; implied Jackie/Kelso; hints of Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episode ficlet

**Burning Down the House**

Jackie heard noises in the garage. Ugh! Just when she thought she'd finally gotten rid of all those losers. Well, by the time she was through with them, they were going to wish they'd never set foot on Burkhart property. She stomped through the mud room and flung open the door to the garage.

"Oh my God!" Jackie jumped back, shielding her eyes. "Hyde, pull your pants up! Kat Peterson, get your skanky butt off my daddy's Lincoln!"

"Uh, sure, Jackie. Um, see you at Pep Squad tomorrow."

"Oh please! Like you'll actually show your face at school tomorrow, after I tell everyone about this."

"No, Jackie! Please, you can't! I would just die!"

Once she quit hearing the sound of fabrics and zippers moving, Jackie peeked through her fingers, relieved to see they were both fully dressed.

"Say, Kat," Hyde said casually, "why don't you let me take care of this?" He pushed her toward the door, giving her ass a soft pat.

"Sure thing. Thanks, Hyde. _Don't_ call me," Kat threw over her shoulder as she breezed out the garage door.

Jackie crossed her arms and glared at an unrepentant Hyde. "If you think you're talking me out of this, you're wrong. People at school are going to be talking about my party tomorrow, and I'd rather it be about how Kat Peterson is a slut than how Michael is a moron." She turned and trudged back into the house.

For some odd reason, Hyde followed her. "That's cool."

Jackie whirled around. "You're not going to try to talk me out of it?"

"Nope."

"But you told Kat—"

"Look, she's hot and easy, and I like that in a woman. But what do I care about protecting a chick who doesn't want anyone knowing about me?"

Jackie shook her head, before continuing her march to the destroyed living room. "Well, really, Hyde, who can blame her? Look at you—you're poor, you're scruffy, and you live in a basement. Honestly, I don't know why Kat Peterson let you touch her in the first place."

"Because I'm that good, baby," Hyde said with a confident smirk.

"_Ewww_! Though that reminds me…" Jackie walked up to him and kicked him hard in the shin. She took satisfaction in watching him bend over, cradling his leg. "Stop fooling around with your skanks on Daddy's Lincoln!"

Hyde straightened and glared down at her. "Hey, Kat was the only skank I fooled around with on your dad's Lincoln." He smirked even wider than before. "I fooled around with Pam Macy _in _your dad's Lincoln."

Jackie pulled her foot back for another kick, but Hyde stopped her by leaning forward while pushing backward on her shoulders. He shifted his feet back, so no matter how often she tried, she couldn't reach his shin.

"Ugh!" Eyes welling with tears, she finally gave up and walked away in disgust. "Just go away, Hyde! I can't deal with you tonight. My life sucks enough already." She sank onto the couch and surveyed the damage around her.

"Whatever." His boots clomped along the floor as he walked toward the door.

Jackie took in again the singed garbage can, the mass of burnt feathers, the broken crystal. She thought of all her beautiful dreams of tonight, up in smoke with Daddy's cigars, and started to cry.

Michael was an idiot, who had ruined her perfect night—him and his stupid friends—and she didn't have a single person who cared enough to stick around and make sure she was all right.

"Er, Jackie?"

Her head snapped up. An uncomfortable-looking Hyde stood in the doorway. Jackie swiped a hand across her eyes, knowing her make-up must have run. "What now, Hyde?" she snapped.

"Nothing," Hyde returned defensively. "Just…wondered if you needed help cleaning up in here."

Something warm, something sweet—the first good emotion she'd felt since the disaster of an evening began—fluttered through her chest. "No," she said softly, forcing a smile. "No. The maid will clean it up in the morning."

"Right. The maid." Disgust and derision were laced in Hyde's tone. But it was only because he was poor and didn't understand what a good thing a maid was, Jackie reasoned. He was trying to be nice; it was just harder for Hyde. He didn't have much practice at it.

"Thanks all the same."

"Whatever." Again, he headed for the door, but stopped and turned back. "Won't your parents notice all this when they get home?"

"Oh, Daddy's on a business trip. He won't be home until Thursday."

"And your mom?"

She bit her lip. The last word she'd had from her mother was a postcard with a picture of a margarita on it. It was postmarked from Barbados. "She's away for her health," Jackie lied blandly.

"They leave you here alone?"

"Of course not! There's the maid, and the cook, and every Tuesday, there's the gardener. It's not like my parents aban—" She stopped, her eyes freezing on Hyde's face.

Her parents weren't like his. They _weren't_. Her daddy might not be around all the time, but he bought her shiny, expensive things to make up for that. And her mom…her mom was beautiful and perfect and adored, _nothing_ like Gross Edna.

Hyde must have read some of those thoughts on her face, because his expression shifted, became remote, impassive. "Whatever. You throw a great party, Jackie. When you're not around to bring it down."

Anger boiled up inside Jackie at the unprovoked burn. "Go home, Hyde!" she demanded, throwing a coaster at him to accentuate her point.

"Gladly. The Formans' basement is a hundred times better than this crypt." This time, when he walked away, she heard the door slam behind him.

Jackie stared at the empty room, filling her ears with the silence. She laid her head on her knees and wept.


	41. The First Time

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso; hints of Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A missing scene, Hyde's POV

**The First Time**

Hyde was sitting on the outside basement stairs, avoiding the madness and drunk, old people inside at the rehearsal dinner when he was joined by the last person he wanted to see.

Jackie plopped down on the step next to him with a disgruntled, "Ugh! He makes me so mad."

"Yeah. I'd like to listen to this except…I really don't want to listen to this, so I'll be going now." He started to stand; Jackie used her small but freakishly strong hands to pull him back down.

"Or I could just stay here and listen to you whine about Kelso. Joy."

Jackie glared at him. "I don't want to talk about Michael. He's an immature jerk, and I hate him."

Hyde rolled his eyes and drank his beer. He knew better than to trust her temporary loathing of Kelso. This was no different than the ski trip or the pregnancy scare. Pretty soon she'd be crying about how much she loved "Michael" and how she wanted him back. Hyde just wished she'd find someone else to cry on; this was getting damn annoying.

"What are you doing out here anyway, Hyde?"

"Hiding." _From people like you_, he silently added, then kicked himself for not saying it aloud.

"I'm hiding, too. From Michael." She released a long, dramatic sigh.

Hyde ignored her and took another draw from his beer. As he lowered the can, he saw her tiny, doll hand reaching out to take it from him. He was too surprised to do anything but let her.

Jackie took a small sip, wrinkled her nose, and passed it back to him. But she didn't say anything—no "_Ewww,_" about the taste or sharing his dirty, poor person germs.

Hyde took a long swallow, and there she was again, waiting, hand outstretched. He handed her the can and then hated himself for watching her drink from it. He saw the beads of moisture collect on her soft lips, the awkward swallow and pulled face of someone who still wasn't used to drinking. He licked his lips.

What the hell was wrong with him? She wasn't his chick—wasn't even his friend—yet he was letting her share his beer, something he normally would have kicked someone's ass for.

It was just to keep her quiet. That was all.

He swiped the beer back, took a drink, then let out a loud belch.

"_Ewww!_" Jackie groaned, rising to her feet. "You're a pig, Hyde!" She clattered up the steps and into the house.

Hyde grinned, equilibrium restored now that she was gone. He leaned back on the steps and finished his beer.


	42. Afterglow

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde; discussion of Eric/Donna, Jackie/Kelso**  
Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary: **A post-episodic ficlet

**Afterglow**

Jackie was fed up with Michael. She had expected him to help his friend, and instead he had made it worse. She had done what she could for Eric in telling him how much Michael had sucked, but what Eric really needed was some man-to-man instruction. Obviously, Michael was a failure.

In every way.

Still, a strange trepidation gripped her as she took the steps down to the basement in pursuit of that help. Her hands were clammy; her stomach felt lodged in her throat.

Pushing the fear aside, she entered the basement with head held high. She was Jackie Burkhart; men always did what she wanted.

Surprisingly, the basement was empty. Relief rushed through her. Maybe she should throw this whole idea out, leave Eric and Donna to solve their own problems.

Oh, who was she kidding? Eric couldn't solve his way through a bra clasp.

Maybe she could leave a note.

Jackie liked that idea. She rummaged through her purse for a pen and paper as she walked into Hyde's room.

"Uh, Jackie, what are you doing here?"

She jumped and dropped her purse at Hyde's unexpected voice. He was lying on his cot, reading some book called _The Lawless State_. Funny, she had never pictured Hyde reading for fun before.

"Jackie, I asked you a question."

"Huh? What?" All her nerves had returned at the thought of having this conversation face-to-face.

"What are you doing in my room, man?"

"Oh, that. Well, um…" Jackie squared her shoulders and assumed her most regal air. "Hyde, we need to talk about Eric and Donna."

Hyde sat up with a groan. "No, we don't. You see this room? This room is my sanctuary. In this room, I do not have to deal with puppy-dog high school romance or annoying cheerleaders." He stood, and Jackie realized how small this space really was; they were practically inhabiting the same skin. "So get out."

Jackie ignored his intimidation tactics, choosing to take a seat on his cot. That should prove her determination to see this through. "Not until I convince you to help."

"I don't help. I hinder." He smirked. "It's kinda my thing."

"Oh, whatever, Hyde. Look, I know you know about Eric and Donna because Michael has a big mouth."

Shaking his head, Hyde sat down next to her. "Kelso couldn't have blabbed, if someone hadn't blabbed to him first, _Jackie_."

"That was different. I wanted Michael to _help_ Eric."

Hyde chuckled. "What guy would help when it's such a great burn?"

"Ugh! That's what Michael said."

"Because it's true. Look, Jackie, guys aren't like chicks. We don't pour out our itty, bitty hearts over tea and cookies. We beat on our friends and then laugh when they fall down."

"Well, it's stupid, and I want you to fix it."

"Fix what?"

"Eric and Donna's sex life!" she yelled. Her face flushed crimson at her outburst.

"Uh…no." Hyde started to stand, but Jackie pulled him back beside her.

"Just listen." She took a deep breath and tried to remember all her reasons for coming to Hyde with this. It was difficult when he was looking at her with that mix of disgust and bewilderment.

"Eric is your friend, but we both know he's kind of a loser. Donna told me he's come up with this stupid plan that they'll get better if they 'practice more.'" Jackie made air quotes to isolate the stupidity. "This is Eric we're talking about! He's a very slow trial-and-error learner; Donna might not live long enough for him to get it right! He needs someone to tell him what to do, Hyde."

"So make Kelso do it. That moron will do whatever you tell him to."

"But I want Eric to be _good!_" Jackie blurted out. Immediately realizing what she'd done, she buried her face in her hands while Hyde's laughter rolled over her.

"I—I knew it," Hyde gasped between guffaws. "Oh man, I _knew_ it! I am so going to burn him with—"

Jackie grabbed his shirt collar and pushed him down on the cot, shaking him. "You say one word, Steven Hyde, and there won't be a place on earth you can hide from my wrath!"

Tears were swimming in Hyde's eyes from the force of his laughter, but he sobered when faced with her rage. "Okay, okay."

"You promise?"

"Sure, I promise."

Her hold on his shirt relaxed, and Jackie suddenly realized how this might look to someone walking in here at this moment. They were alone in Hyde's bedroom, on what passed for his bed, and she was laying half on top of him. Anyone who didn't know how much they hated each other might think—

"Hey, Jackie?"

"Yeah?" she asked, dazed. Any minute now she was going to pull herself up. Any minute.

"Why'd you come to me?"

Hyde's blue eyes were staring straight into her, and there wasn't a hint of ridicule left in them.

She forgot the question. "Huh?"

"Your grand plan for Eric and Donna—what made you come to me?"

She couldn't pull away fast enough. She sat up and straightened her clothes, looking at the mess of boxes around them. "Um, well, it's just…Eric doesn't have many friends…and Michael…and _Fez_…" Jackie rolled her eyes at the thought. "And if you were good enough for Kat Peterson to risk losing her reputation, I thought maybe…"

"Oh, I'm good, doll."

The hair on the back of her neck stood up.

Jackie shot to her feet. "Great! Then you'll help Eric, right?"

Hyde swept his glasses off the top of a box and put them on. "Whatever."

"Okay." It was the best she could hope for, and she needed to get out of there. Now. "Well, I'll just be going then." There was something falsely cheery in her own voice, and it grated at her nerves. She grabbed her dropped, forgotten purse and headed for the door.

"Hey, Jackie?"

"Yeah?"

"You want me to teach Kelso a few things, too?"

Hyde's mocking laughter followed her all the way out of the basement.


	43. Kitty and Eric's Night Out

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** quasi-Jackie/Fez; hints of Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episodic ficlet, Hyde's POV

**Kitty and Eric's Night Out**

"_Ewwww_!"

Hyde flipped a page in his magazine and ignored Jackie's histrionics.

"Hyde, did you hear me? I said, _Ewwwww_!"

"Yep."

"Do you know why?"

"Nope."

"Don't you _want_ to know?"

"Nope."

"I like Fez."

Hyde started to laugh. Sometimes Jackie was funnier than the writers of MAD.

"No, I'm serious! I was talking to Donna about how much I hate Patty, and she made me see that it's because…" Jackie gulped. "…be-because I—I like _Feeeezzz!_" She started to cry.

Oh crap. What the hell was wrong with this girl? She needed her tear ducts examined, because no one on earth should cry this much, this often.

"Jackie, knock it off!"

The weeping continued. Hyde put his feet on the floor and threw his magazine into his lap, turning towards her.

"Jackie, you don't like Fez."

Still sniffling, she raised her head. "But I do. I h-hate his girlfriend, so that means—"

"That you're a snotty, spoiled princess who is used to having all of Fez's attention, and you're pissed that somebody's come between you and your fanclub. It doesn't mean you like Fez; it means you're completely self-absorbed and need everyone to love you."

Jackie smiled and brought a hand to her heart. "Thank you, Hyde! That's so sweet."

"Shut your piehole." Hyde picked up his magazine and put his boots back on the table.


	44. Parents Find Out

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso; hints of Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episodic 100-word drabble, Hyde's POV

**Parents Find Out**

"Michael! Where have you been?"

Hyde cringed at the verbal barrage the second they walked into the basement. Suddenly, those old ladies were looking really good.

"I was…I was fixing the van."

"Michael, you don't fix the van. _I _fix the van."

Hyde snickered.

"Look, Jackie, I was hanging with the guys, okay? And I'm not going to apologize for that!"

Jackie crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm so sorry, baby! I love you."

"Oh Michael!" She flew into her boyfriend's arms.

"Get a room."

Just another day in the life. Hyde settled in for _Love Boat_.


	45. Kiss of Death

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Kelso/Laurie; hints of Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episodic ficlet

**Kiss of Death**

"Sooo…if you've got this, I think we're just gonna…" Forman started backing toward the door.

"Yeah," Donna added, following, "if you can't get her to stop, mention Donny Osmond."

"You two can't just leave me with—"

"See ya later, man."

The door was shut, and Hyde was alone with Jackie crying on his shirt and a Popsicle melting all over his hand. Crap. How did such a great burn on Kelso turn into a burn on him?

"Okay, okay, Jackie," he soothed, easing them both onto the couch. He threw his Popsicle onto the table. Let Forman clean it up; he had ditched Hyde with the bigger mess.

She had her arms wrapped tight around his neck, was practically sitting on his lap, as she cried on his shoulder. He remembered at the ski lodge how he'd gotten rid of her by bringing up Pam Macy.

Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to burn her that way again. Kelso had hurt her bad enough for one day.

"Okay, Jackie, it's okay." He shifted her away enough to tilt her chin up. Those teary eyes of hers should be outlawed. They made men do crazy, stupid things, like sitting here comforting her, instead of adding to her misery the way the gods of rock and roll demanded.

"Look, Jackie, you did the right thing, all right? Kelso is a dillhole."

Jackie nodded, still crying, her breath coming in shaky gasps. "I know, I know, it's just I—I loved him so, so _muuuuch_." And there she went again, back to the shoulder.

Crap. His shirt was going to be covered in her snot.

"So…how about that Donny Osmond, huh?"

She ignored his feeble attempt at distraction.

Damn Donna.

He didn't know how to do this. Soothing words were not something he had learned, but he had to do something to stop this flood. It couldn't go on like this, man.

"Jackie, stop it! Now!" he yelled.

She was shocked enough that she did what she was told. Jackie sat back, hiccupping.

"He's not even worth it, Jackie. God, someone who'd cheat on you with a whore like that?" Hyde shook his head. "And here you are, crying like _you_ lost out on something."

Jackie lifted her chin and forced the smallest of smiles. "You're right, Hyde. I mean, I'm Jackie Burkhart! I'm hotter than Laurie, and I'm too good for Michael."

"There ya go. There's the self-centered egotist we all know and…tolerate."

"Thank you, Hyde. You're always here when I need someone."

"No, I'm not," he said quickly. He didn't want this bad habit of hers to continue. He only had so many shirts.

"Yes, you are." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

Hyde jumped off the couch. "Whatever. I gotta go wash my hand. Popsicle juice." He waved his hand like a moron in front of her face then bolted up the stairs.

When he was safe inside the bathroom, he chanced a glance in the mirror. Her lipstick hadn't left a visible mark, but it had to have some kind of invisible acid in it, right? Like the femme fatale in a James Bond movie. Something—_anything_—that would explain this burning in his skin.


	46. Kelso's Serenade

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde; mentions of Jackie/Kelso, Kelso/Laurie, Eric/Donna**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **Missing scene; at the Sizzler

**Kelso's Serenade**

Jackie picked at her salad and tried to think of something to say. She was so glad Hyde had agreed to come with her, and not just because she wanted someone to hang out with, but because he was _Hyde_. He was the guy who was there for her every time her world fell apart, and she was starting to realize how much that meant to her.

She wanted to talk about something he would like, but it was really hard to think of a topic to interest someone else, when she was so used to only thinking about the things she loved.

She watched Hyde as he ate. He didn't seem bothered by the awkward silence, but he was Hyde. He lived in a house with Eric; awkward silence was probably all he knew.

Jackie tried to think about what Hyde liked, but all she could visualize were his ratty old T-shirts with messages scrawled across them. Her eyes widened as she remembered. They weren't words—they were bands.

"So you like music, right, Hyde?"

Hyde looked up, a spoonful of Jell-O halfway to his mouth. "Uh, yeah. So?"

"So I was thinking; maybe Daddy could get us tickets to ABBA when they come to Chicago!" Jackie squealed, overwhelmed by her brilliance.

"Yeah…no. I like real music—Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, the Stones, man—not that disco crap you listen to."

Jackie gasped. He had insulted her taste in music. Michael never would have done that, at least not to her face.

_No, Michael just slept with other women behind your back; that's so much better_, an inner voice taunted her.

It made Jackie bite her tongue and hold her bitter retort inside. Hyde went back to eating in silence. Jackie went back to thinking.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Donna's pissed at Eric!"

"Again?"

"Yeah. See, what happened was—"

"Whoa. Hold it right there, Jackie. I don't do the whole 'gossip' thing. Keep it to yourself, all right?"

"Oh. Okay." She slunk down in her seat, defeated. Her lower lip started to tremble.

From across the table, Hyde groaned. "All right. But just this once, okay? I'm not going to turn into one of your stupid girlfriends. Or Fez."

"Okay!" Jackie said brightly, sitting up straight and gracing Hyde with one of her prettiest smiles. "Donna and Eric were out last night, proving their love—"

Hyde snorted. "You mean, screwing their brains out."

Jackie's nose wrinkled in disgust, but she held in her _ewww_ and her lecture. Hyde wasn't like Michael. She couldn't tell him what to do.

Although she had told Michael to stay away from skanky whores, and that hadn't worked, either.

Jackie pushed away the momentary pang. "Anyway, afterwards, Donna asked Eric to go to a movie today, but he said he couldn't because he'd made plans with Michael and Fez."

Hyde chuckled and shook his head. "Dumbass."

"I _know_, right? What kind of boyfriend doesn't get permission from his girlfriend before making other plans?"

"One who still possesses his sack?"

"But you just said—"

"Oh, Forman's a dumbass, but not for making his own plans, for choosing to spend the day with those two morons instead of a hot chick."

"Oh." Jackie sat back, disappointed in Hyde's reaction. She had thought they were finally agreeing on something.

Her eyes widened, as another thought came to her. Hyde was here—with her—instead of hanging out with the guys. That had to mean something, didn't it?

"I'm really glad you're here with me, Hyde."

"Yeah, well, who can resist free Jell-O?"

He was so cool. Every word he said, everything he did, was held under such tight control. And yet, without even trying, she'd managed to find chinks in his armor.

Hyde claimed to hate her, yet he was the one to hold her when she cried. Of the whole gang—Donna, her best friend; Fez, who claimed to love her—Hyde was the only one who tried to get Michael caught. He'd left her hints all along the way, hints she'd been too afraid to follow.

Jackie thought back over the months of knowing Hyde and felt only confusion. What did he really feel for her? What was he thinking behind his impassive expression?

For that matter, why did she want so much to find out?

"So I was thinking, after this, you and I could go to the mall."

Hyde let his fork fall onto his plate. "I told you. I don't do the mall."

"Well, where else is there to hang out in Point Place?"

"The Hub."

"We're eating now. Besides, Michael will probably be there," she mumbled.

Hyde frowned and nodded. Hope bubbled inside Jackie; he wanted to protect her from seeing Michael. "Yeah, okay. There's the alley behind the library."

Jackie glared at him.

"Right. Back to Forman's basement it is, then."

Jackie didn't want to go back to the Formans. There were always people there, and she wanted to keep Hyde to herself for as long as she could. "If we go to the mall, I'll buy you an Orange Julius."

"I guess an hour at the mall wouldn't kill me."


	47. Jackie Moves On

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** heavy hints of Hyde/Jackie; mentions of Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Fez**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **Missing scene, post-boys' poker game, pre-Jackie's visit

**Jackie Moves On**

"Hey, Forman, can I borrow the Cruiser?"

"Oh sure! Gang up on me with my devil sister, but the minute you want something, who do you run to?"

"So can I?"

"Yeah, sure," Eric shrugged, tossing Hyde the keys. "What do I care?"

"Thanks, man."

"Where you going, anyway?"

"Just cruisin'."

Hyde felt unsettled as he pulled the car out of the driveway. Something was bugging him, and he couldn't put his finger on it. He needed to get away, out of the basement, to clear his head.

He was having a blast playing Eric and Laurie off each other. Kelso suffering was always fun. Red and Kitty's little tiff about the necklace would blow over soon.

So what was it? What was this niggling at the back of his brain that wouldn't go away?

_Since when do you like Jackie?_

Kelso's words ricocheted in Hyde's mind. Yet more proof of what a moron Kelso was. Hyde didn't like Jackie. At all.

But it bothered him that Fez made a play for her while she was hurting. It shouldn't have; he should have encouraged his friend, both for the burn on Kelso and the rebound score. Instead, he'd said—out loud, even—that Fez should give Jackie a break.

What the hell was wrong with him?

Hyde's grip tightened around the steering wheel. He made a right turn, off the main drag and into one of the residential areas. He kept an eye on the road, but his mind kept wandering down paths he didn't want it to go.

It bugged him, what Donna had said about Jackie being depressed. It bugged him, what Fez had said about her constant eating on their date. It bugged him that Jackie hadn't been in the basement for a week.

None of this stuff should matter, man. He should be thrilled that he didn't have to hear her stupid yammering anymore, relieved she wasn't still following him around like a lost puppy.

The car screeched to a halt as Hyde realized where he had—accidentally?—driven. He stared up at the Burkhart house and cursed himself for a fool.

What did he think he would do when he got here?

_Hey, Jackie. I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by._

Yeah, right. He had no reason to be on the Burkharts' exclusive street. Jackie would probably think he was casing the joint.

He could go yell at her for being an idiot, taking Kelso's stupidity out on herself this way, but that would hardly make her feel better and would still make him a dumbass for driving over here just to tell her that.

He could…

Hyde shook his head. There was nothing he could do, nothing that wouldn't violate all the laws of Zen he lived by. He didn't know why he'd come here in the first place, was sure it hadn't been his destination when he left the Formans.

Hyde caught a glimpse of his own reflection as he checked the rearview mirror. "Dumbass," he sneered. He turned the car around and headed home.


	48. Holy Crap

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **Missing scene, after Hyde explains why he doesn't go to church then goes to his room.

**Holy Crap**

"Hey."

Hyde looked up from his book. "Hey, Jackie. Shouldn't you be out there?" He gestured toward the main basement. "By which I mean, not here."

"Everyone but Eric went to church, and he's being all stupid and…Eric-y." She sat down on one of the boxes across from Hyde's cot.

"Why aren't you at church?"

"Oh, I never go."

"What? It seems like your kind of place, Jackie—you have to dress up, people get yelled at, and you get to look down on people who aren't there."

"Well, all that is true, but I just…" Jackie gnawed her bottom lip. "Hyde, can I tell you something?"

"I'd rather you didn't."

"I've never been to church," Jackie blurted out.

Hyde's eyes widened. Even he had been forced into a dress shirt and sent out the door to Sunday School as a kid—though, granted, he'd later learned it was so Edna could get rid of her nightly callers without him knowing.

Still, scattered catechism memories were enough to make his "That's cool" completely sincere for once.

Jackie frowned, her brow contracting. "No, it's not. I always wanted to go, but I never had anyone to take me."

"Your dad is a city councilman. He must at least go at election time."

"Oh, Daddy says those days are over. People want paragons of business, not virtue. Plus, it would interfere with his golf game."

"Mrs. Forman would take you. She'd be thrilled with the chance to convert one of us godless heathens."

"Yeah. Maybe I'll ask her. Thanks, Hyde." Jackie tilted her head, staring at him.

"What now?"

"Have you ever considered growing a beard?"

"Get out." Hyde picked up his book and ignored her until she left.


	49. Red Fired Up

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde, Kelso/Laurie  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A 200-word post-episode double drabble

**Red Fired Up**

Jackie basked in the glow of her victory. She had staked claim to the territory, and the enemy was forced to retreat.

She liked sitting in the basement, watching TV with the gang and feeling—for the first time—like she belonged. She wasn't here as Michael's girlfriend; she was here because they wanted her here, all of them—even Eric. They had chosen her over Laurie and, in a way, over Michael, too.

She didn't want to let this feeling end, so she stayed even after Eric and Donna left on a date, Fez to attend prayer service with his host parents.

Only Jackie and Hyde remained, but Jackie barely noticed the absences. She was slowly realizing she never felt a lack of anything when she was with Hyde. It gave her that sense of belonging she'd had with the gang today, jolted by something electric.

Pushing the odd pang aside, she focused on the easily defined happiness instead. "Today was great!"

Hyde turned his head mere inches, but Jackie knew he was watching her out of the corner of his eye. "It didn't suck."

Smiling, Jackie settled back in her seat, cocooned by Hyde's presence and his words.


	50. Cat Fight Club

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary: **Missing scene: how Jackie joined the Circle.

**Cat Fight Club**

Hyde and Eric clattered down the stairs after dinner, still snickering about Kelso's attempt to come to dinner.

Eric came to a screeching halt at the last step. "Jackie. You're still here. Yay."

Fez bounced excitedly in the lawn chair. "Yes, isn't it wonderful? I have spent an hour _alone _with Jackie _alone _in the basement. And we were _alone_."

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Whatever. We were watching _Mary Tyler Moore_."

"Yeah. That's nice," Forman said, drawing out the words in that smartass way of his. "Know what else is nice? GOING HOME!"

Hyde pushed past Eric and reclaimed his usual chair. "Relax, Forman. I thought we all agreed, better Jackie than your whore of a sister."

Jackie gave Hyde a glowing, grateful smile, but that wasn't why he said it. Really. It wasn't.

"But Hyde," Eric moped, sitting down on the edge of the couch closest to Hyde and furthest away from Jackie. "I thought we were gonna, you know…have a circle." He said the last three words in a stage whisper.

"What's a circle?"

"Well, Jackie, in geometric terms, a circle is a closed plane curve with all points an equal distance from the center."

"I know that, _Miz_ Forman. I was asking what you meant by _having_ a circle," Jackie snapped back. Her eyes were bright and curious, and Hyde read clearly in her face the desire to be included.

He smiled. This might be kinda fun. "Forman, let's have a circle."

Eric almost gave himself whiplash, turning his head from Hyde to Jackie and back again. "What!? With _her?_"

"Why not with me?"

"Yes, why not with Jackie?" Fez pouted, then smiled dopily at her. "She would be much prettier to look at than your two ugly faces. Oh, burn." He sighed.

Hyde scooted his chair closer to the table and moved the table closer to the couch. Fez vacated the lawn chair for his favored ottoman, while Forman, with a pleading look at Hyde and a wary one at Jackie, moved to his chair.

Jackie stayed where she was, looking bewildered. Confusion turned to bemusement when Eric lighted an incense stick. "Ooh, are we going to have some sort of secrecy ritual and then tell each other something we've never told anyone else?"

"Yes! And then we all hold hands and skip around, wearing daisies in our hair," Eric twittered.

Keeping his eyes locked on Jackie's face, Hyde pulled out a joint and lit up.

"Is that, is that what I think it is?" Her eyes darted frantically around the room.

"Try it and see," Hyde challenged.

"Nuh-uh. No way. I don't do that stuff."

"I know!" cried Eric. "Which is why you shouldn't be in the circle, so GO HOME." His face fell. "Oh wait, we can't send you home now. You know our secret. You could tell your dad, and your dad could tell the police, and I can't go to prison, man, I just can't!"

"That is true," Fez commented. "You are far too thin and girly. Plus, you have very pretty eyes."

"See, Jackie, this is why we didn't bring you into the circle before. They didn't think you were cool enough, man."

"Well, that's just—" Jackie stopped, her eyes widening, as she looked back at Hyde. "You think I'm cool now, Hyde?"

"Not yet, but you have potential. Are you ready for the test, young grasshopper?" Hyde held out the joint.

Jackie eyed it warily. "I've heard that this turns nice girls like me into horny sluts."

"Your first problem there is assuming you're a nice girl to begin with," Eric commented.

"Wait a minute! If this is true, why don't we invite more girls into the circle? Fez would like to meet a horny slut."

"It's not true, man. It's just government propaganda to keep squares like Jackie here from achieving true Zen."

"Whatever." Jackie reached over and plucked the joint out of Hyde's fingers. He smiled proudly as his student took her first hit.


	51. Moon Over Point Place

**Title:** Filling the Gaps**  
Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairing:** Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **Two 200-word double drabbles—one from Jackie, one from Hyde—to explore their emotional and mental states at the end of the second season.**  
**

**Author's Note: **Damn, I love this episode.

**Moon Over Point Place**

It was the most wonderful thing anyone had ever done for her. It was even more wonderful than when he took her to prom, or when he held her after she broke up with Kelso, or when he taught her Zen.

Jackie finally got it. The common thread. The inner pull whenever he was around. That mixture of knowing she was safe—that he would protect her when no one else did—with that sense of dangerous excitement.

She was in love with Steven Hyde.

She wondered why it had taken her this long to see, wondered more when it had started. She had a feeling it was longer ago than she would care to admit.

And what was more—what was making her heart thud against her chest with every beat—was knowing he loved her, too. He could deny it all he wanted, but the facts spoke for themselves. He was currently on his way to a prison cell for a crime she committed. She knew enough about Hyde to know he wouldn't do that for everyone.

In fact, he wouldn't do that for _anyone._ But he'd done it for her.

He was so in love with her.

--

It was the stupidest thing he'd ever done.

Hyde put his head back against the wall of his holding cell and tried to take in all that his stupidity had cost him. A criminal record—well, he always knew he'd have one someday, but he'd assumed he would have actually, you know, committed the crime.

But the Formans…he'd lost their respect, their trust, probably forever. They gave him a home, a chance, when no one else would have, and he'd blown it.

And for what?

An annoying, bitchy cheerleader whose rich daddy would have had her out of here in ten seconds flat, probably without even a black mark on her perfect record.

He didn't know what had come over him. The instant that cop had put his hands on Jackie, rational thought flew out the window. He'd have done anything to protect her in that moment.

And he had.

It was stupid. It was ridiculous. More than anything, it was weakness. He'd let that supposedly benign cyst burrow deeper and deeper under his skin, until he couldn't dig her out, until he hurt when she hurt, until her toxicity infected his very blood.

He was so screwed.

--

**Author's Note: **And another season come and gone. I just want to take a moment to thank the many steady reviewers I've had on this story. Andie and Willofthewisp, you give such lovely, long reviews on almost every chapter! They always make my day, so thanks! Thanks also to Ingrid, Miss Lavender Sky, driver picks the music, Aufera, Tokyobabe2040, AliCat, MONICA, and cookie207 for their many kind reviews!


	52. Reefer Madness

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairing:** Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **Continuation of the Leo, Hyde & Jackie at the Hub scene.

**Reefer Madness**

Hyde came to The Hub to escape, to delay the inevitable—facing Red. If he'd known _she _was going to show up, he'd have marched straight into the Forman dining room.

He didn't want to look at her. Every time he did, he was reminded of what an idiot he'd been.

She kept smiling adoringly at him, like the brainless twit she was. She took his hand like she had every right to, like he was her boyfriend now or something.

Hyde might not be an expert on relationships, but he was pretty sure going to jail for a chick did not equate with asking her to wear his class ring.

He kept pulling his hand away; she kept grabbing it back. He decided it wasn't worth the effort. _Remember Zen. Ignore her, _he mentally chanted, turning his full attention to Leo.

"The brown paper bag is a giveaway, man."

"Oh yeah? Where do you put your stuff?"

Leo's bleary eyes tried to focus. "Huh? I told you. I gave it away, man."

Jackie slipped her palm under his and traced the lines of his hand with her fingertips.

Hyde cleared his throat. "So, uh, what time do you want me at work tomorrow, Leo?"

She laid her hand flat, palm to palm, against his, then sighed as she interlocked their fingers.

"Whenever, man. Wouldn't want you to run out early on your old lady." Leo flashed his slightly scary version of a charming smile at Jackie.

Hyde yanked his hands free, balled them in fists on his thighs. "She is _not _my old lady."

"Of course I'm not! Look at me. I'm young and ravishingly beautiful." Jackie fluttered her eyelashes and tossed her hair with an enticing look at Hyde.

No. Not enticing. Revolting. Yeah, that was it.

"You forgot completely self-absorbed."

Jackie smiled brightly at him. "Thank you, Steven! Do you really mean it?"

"I can honestly say that I do."

"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone, man. Got a bird of my own to check in on, you know."

"_You _have a girlfriend?" Jackie sounded horrified at the very idea.

"Nah, my roommate's got a parrot, man. I'm supposed to feed it while he's away." Leo stood, looking thoughtful. "I hope she likes brownies, man." He left the restaurant, and Hyde watched with amusement as Leo wandered aimlessly along the street. He'd probably forgotten the way home.

"Oh Steven, I thought he'd never leave. Now, it's finally just you and me." She leaned toward him, placing a hand on his knee.

Hyde pulled his chair out of reach of her sneaky, little hands. "Jackie, seriously, cut this out. It's not funny anymore."

The first hint of a frown crossed her brow, with an accompanying pout to her lips. "It's not meant to be funny, Steven. I love you."

"_No_, you don't."

"_Yes_, I do. And you love me!"

"No, I _don't_."

"Yes, you _do_. Why else would you have gone to jail for me?"

"Because…because…" Crap. She would ask the one question he didn't have an answer for. The truth was he didn't know why he'd taken the blame for her. He hadn't thought about it at all. He'd seen that cop with his hands on Jackie, and he'd just…done it. He hadn't thought about why.

He didn't want to think about why.

Jackie arched an eyebrow, and her confident smile returned as he failed to answer. "See? Like I said, you love me."

"I do not. I only took the rap because…because you're a girl."

"So if it had been, say, Kat Peterson, you still would have stepped forward?"

For that skank who wouldn't publicly acknowledge him? Hyde snorted his denial before he thought better of it.

"See." Jackie practically glowed with delight.

"I don't _see _anything, because there's nothing to see, man. You picked one lousy girl I happen to hate more than you."

"So if it had been Donna?"

"Forman would have," Hyde said, remembering Donna's cigarette at school.

"Because he loves her. Just like you love me! Oh Steven!" She threw her arms around his neck.

Jackie's skin suctioned itself to his. She really was a parasite. And they were in public, too.

Shit.

He somehow managed to pry her clingy body away from him. "Knock it off! I took the fall because I wasn't thinking, all right?"

"Of course you weren't. You were _feeling_, Steven. Feeling protective of me and scared for me, because you lo—"

"I'm leaving." Hyde stood, pointing down at her. "_Don't_ follow me."

"Fine. For now," Jackie pouted.

Relieved, Hyde headed for the exit.

"Hey, Steven, one thing before you go."

There she was, pulling on his elbow. God, he was never going to be rid of her. She was going to be his annoying, breathing, talking shadow for the rest of his miserable life.

"What?" he barked, hoping his glare would be enough to scare her away.

As usual, it wasn't.

"If you could go back and change it, would you _not _stand up for me?"

Jackie and her stupid questions. He wasn't Forman; he didn't live in a world of do-overs. He wasn't Kelso; he didn't think he could build a time machine. Hyde had done what he'd done, and that was it.

"I didn't think so," she said softly as a minute ticked by and he failed to answer. "Good night, Steven." She pushed herself up on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek, before turning and walking out of The Hub.

The door jangling shut behind her woke Hyde from that stupid trance she'd put on him. She really was a witch. How else could he explain it?

He'd meant to leave her behind with the knowledge that she stood no chance with him. Instead, here he was, dumbstruck and frozen, feeling like a fool for the second time today. And the worst part was knowing, even if he had Kelso's time machine, he wouldn't change a damn thing.


	53. Red Sees Red

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna, Kelso/Laurie  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **Missing scene, Jackie's POV.

**Red Sees Red**

Jackie rolled her eyes, slapping Fez on the arm as she pushed past him out of Hyde's room. Like she couldn't hear Mr. and Mrs. Forman's steps on the stairs, even before Fez's pervy line about her pants.

She perched herself on the arm of the sofa closest to Steven's chair. She wished she could sit in his lap, but the three times she'd tried, he'd stood up and sent her sprawling to the floor.

"Steven, I want you to know that I am beside you in this, the day of your trial, and no matter how hard Red tries to keep us apart, I will hold on that much tighter to our love."

Hyde sent her a look of disgust—meant to hide how deeply he was touched, of course. "The only reason I haven't kicked you out on your ass is because you're not supposed to be here, and I live to disrespect authority."

"You know what Red would really hate? If we made out."

"Ai!" Fez protested from his seat next to her. Jackie wished he'd just go home already. "Why do you want to give yourself to Hyde, my lovely, when Fez is the one who adores you?"

"You'd adore any girl who'd let you touch her boobs," Jackie snapped. The she turned her captivating smile back at Hyde and put a hand on his knee. "Unlike Steven, who loves only me."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you—"

The steps creaked. Jackie and Fez scampered once again for Steven's bedroom, but it was only Eric, Donna, Michael, and Michael's whore.

"Okay, this has got to stop," Eric whined. "I feel like I can't breathe in my own house."

"I can't even have sex in my own house!" That, of course, came from whorey Laurie.

"We should head for the border, man," Hyde suggested.

"_Ewww_." Everyone turned to Jackie; she shrugged. "I don't like Canadians. But you can all come to my house if you want. My parents are out of town, so we can do whatever we want." She looked straight at Steven, her insinuation clear.

He shrugged. "That's cool."

Jackie felt the blood pounding under her skin.

"All right. But no one let Kelso near the cigars," Donna warned.

"Or the booze," Eric added.

"_God!_ You set fire to one girl's house, and it's like no one trusts you again."


	54. Hyde's Father

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairing:** Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episode ficlet, Hyde's POV.

**Hyde's Father**

It wasn't the Ritz, but it had the basement room beat hands down. It had windows and a real bed with sheets and everything.

"So what do you think?" Bud asked, as Hyde dropped his bag.

"It's cool."

Bud looked at Hyde, his face showing his search for something to say. Hyde stared impassively back.

"So, uh, you wanna watch T.V. or something?"

"Whatever."

Bud seemed confused at Hyde's noncommittal response, but he finally shrugged and went out to the living room. Hyde followed, sitting down on the opposite side of the couch while Bud found a football game.

Color television was so much better than Eric's dinky, old black-and-white set that often had to be slapped just the right way to even turn on.

Hyde watched the game, not missing the basement. At all.

Bud handed him a beer.

Hyde smirked. Now, he really didn't miss it.

Although, after twenty minutes of awkward, uninterrupted silence, he was starting to think maybe he did. He was almost relieved when there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it," Bud said. He paused on the way, turning back to Hyde. "Hey, Steven, in case it's my girlfriend, would you mind…?" He jerked his head towards Hyde's bedroom. "I haven't told her about you yet."

Bud was going to spend Hyde's first night back with some cheap tramp he hadn't even bothered to tell he had a son. The bitterness roiled and twisted in Hyde's stomach. But all he said was, "Whatever, man," and tramped back to his room, shutting the door before Bud let in his visitor.

Hyde surveyed the small room. It wasn't that great. Hyde didn't really like windows; the sun woke him up too early and burned his eyes when he was baked.

He sat down on the bed. Soft. Too soft. Much too soft.

There was a tap at Hyde's door. Before Hyde could answer, Bud opened it and stuck his head in. "I was wrong, Steven. It wasn't my chick; it's yours." He looked into the living room, then turned back to Hyde with a shake of his head and a low whistle. "You've got good taste, son. She's one foxy lady."

Bewildered, Hyde could only stare at his dad.

"Why, thank you, Mr. Hyde," came from the last voice Hyde wanted to hear. Bud stepped back to give Jackie admittance. "It's easy to see where Steven gets his rugged good looks and overpowering masculinity from." She smiled up at Bud as she made her way past him.

Bud grinned and winked at Hyde. "I'll just give you two kids your privacy." He stepped out, shutting the door behind him.

Hyde couldn't believe it. While it was awesome to know Bud was cool with girls in his room, his dad was the second person to assume Jackie was Hyde's girlfriend. It was really starting to piss him off.

"What are _you _doing here?"

"I'm here to see you, of course." Jackie sat down beside him on the bed, resting her hand over his. "Mrs. Forman told me about your dad coming back and you moving in here. Why didn't you tell me, Steven? I could have helped you through this."

Hyde pulled away from her touch. "Why would I tell you? You're _not _my girlfriend—no matter what you told Bud—and I don't want your help."

"I didn't tell your dad anything, except that I was here to see you. He just realized you'd have to be crazy to not be dating me."

"Leave out the 'not,' and you might be onto something there."

Jackie giggled. "Oh, Steven, you're so funny." She laced her hands through his arm, leaned into his side.

Hyde groaned and hopped to his feet. "How many times do I have to tell you before you freaking get it, man? I'm not interested, okay? I don't like you. At all."

Jackie raised an eyebrow and smiled her I-know-something-you-don't-know smile. "Whatever."

"It's not 'whatever,' Jackie. It's the truth. So get the hell out of here."

"And go where exactly?"

"What do I care? Home, the Formans, make up with Kelso, manicures with the other airhead cheerleaders. Anywhere that is not _here_."

"No one's at home, I don't _want _to make up with Michael, I got a manicure yesterday, and the basement isn't the same without you," she pouted.

There was absolutely no reasoning with this chick.

"Whatever." Hyde stalked out of the room and planted himself in front of the T.V. He'd just ignore her until she left.

Hyde could sense Bud watching him, but he didn't acknowledge it. Nor did he move his gaze from the T.V. screen when Jackie squeezed herself in the space between him and his dad.

_Ignore her. Focus on the game_, his inner Zen instructed.

She scooted closer to him, and his arm—which he'd slung across the back of the couch when he sat down—now appeared almost wrapped around her shoulders. Hyde pulled it down, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"So, Jackie, how long have you and Steven been dating?"

"We're not dating now. Or ever," Hyde grunted, eyes still glued to the tiny, brown football.

"Steven is afraid to admit his real feelings. It's probably a result of the emotional and physical abandonment he experienced as a child."

Hyde couldn't help it. He turned toward Jackie, jaw dropping slightly. Had she just burned his dad?

Bud shifted uncomfortably in his seat; he gave a nervous chuckle. "She doesn't mince words, does she?"

"She doesn't know when to shut her piehole," Hyde growled.

Jackie looked up at him, eyes wide and deceptively innocent. "I'm trying to look out for you, Steven."

"And I'm telling you—_again_—to back the hell off."

"Fine!" Her eyes filled with water. "I'll go now. I just thought you might want one of your friends around make it feel a little more like home your first night here." She rose, and he could see the dam of tears starting to break.

Bud shot him a disappointed look. "You know, Steven—"

"Fine," Hyde said through gritted teeth. "Jackie, you can stay."

With a happy little squeal, Jackie ran back to her seat. "Oh Steven, I knew you were really glad to see me!"

"No talking," Hyde ordered, turning back to the game.

She sighed, but quietly settled back. A minute later, he felt her head leaning against his shoulder.

"And no touching."

Jackie pouted, but obediently pulled away. With such restrictions, Hyde hoped she would eventually get bored and leave. But she didn't.

Bud brought out chips and soda, and the three of them watched the game in almost total silence. It wasn't uncomfortable.

In fact, though Hyde would never admit it to anyone breathing, it felt a little bit like home.


	55. Too Old To Trick or Treat

**Title:** Filling the Gaps**  
Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episode ficlet.  
**Author's Notes: **I am a huge Hitchcock fan, and though I think this episode is a bit uneven, it does have its moments of brilliance—I love Laurie getting poo-ed on, and then her Tippi Hedren impersonation. So for my missing scene for this chapter, I knew I'd have to riff on another Hitchcock classic. I discarded a few other movies, for being too obscure or not fun enough, and decided to go with one of my favorites, if only for the casting. The scene is a compilation of a couple different scenes from the movie, and three of Jackie's lines are direct quotes from it. So ten points to anyone who can guess the movie (and no Googling! Cheating is not cool!).

**Too Old to Trick or Treat, Too Young to Die**

Hyde sat on Forman's couch, watching some lame old movie. At least the blonde was hot. He'd take what he could get since Bob closed the curtains on naked Midge.

Suddenly, the back door blew open, and Jackie breezed in, wearing a floor-length, white evening gown and carrying a picnic basket. She took a seat next to him. Her dress molded to her shapely thighs, and, as she leaned forward to open the picnic basket, it revealed precious inches of dusky cleavage.

"Do you want a leg or a breast?"

"Wh-what?"

He made himself focus on her hands, the plate of cold chicken she held out to him.

"Oh. A leg." He grabbed one off the pile. "Say, this is good. Where'd you get it?"

"Stole it from Eric and Donna after the moron sprained his ankle. Stealing stuff is such a rush, isn't it?" Jackie's blue and green eyes shone with a dark thrill that was way sexier than it should have been.

"Speaking of, I lifted these, too." She pulled two cans of beer out of the basket, holding them close to her chest.

Hyde's gaze fastened to them.

She smiled, an alluring, seductive smile. "The one thing in the world you can't resist."

Hyde leaned forward and grabbed one of the cans—of beer. "This beer is cheap."

"Well, I'm not," she practically breathed into his skin.

He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to him for a searing kiss. The beer fell from her hands, rolling forgotten to the floor. As he laid her back onto the couch, his kiss ever more insistent, he could swear he heard fireworks…

"Hyde? Hey, Hyde!"

Hyde shot up, breathing hard, eyes darting all around. Fireworks were playing on the TV, and Jackie was nowhere in sight. Kelso, however, was studying him with concern.

"You all right?"

Hyde shook his head, trying to shake off the dream as well. "Just Halloween, man."

"Nightmare?" Kelso asked sympathetically.

"Scariest dream I ever had."


	56. Roller Disco

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde; mentions of Jackie/Fez**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episode ficlet.

**Roller Disco**

"So last night was something for you, huh?"

Jackie looked up from her magazine, thrilled Steven was talking to her. She grinned. "Oh Steven, are you starting to regret not being my partner?"

Hyde snorted. "Hardly. Unlike Fez, I have no desire to get you drunk and horny in the backseat of _Daddy's _Lincoln."

Jackie paled. Was that what Fez had been babbling on about earlier? What horrible things had he told Steven? She threw her magazine down and crossed the couch to sit as close as possible to his chair.

"Oh my God, Steven, I'm so sorry! I don't even remember last night after we won the contest and they handed us the champagne. But you've got to believe me, I would never do anything to betray our love."

"Jackie, _we _are not in love. Don't you get it yet? You want someone like Fez, who kisses your ass all day and takes you roller discoing all night."

"Look, Steven, I had fun with Fez last night, it's true. And, sure, if I made a list of what I wanted in a man, Fez would look pretty perfect—except for that whole foreign thing." Jackie shuddered. "But it's not about that. It's about the way I feel when I'm with you, the way you look out for me, the sizzle in the air when I look into y—"

"Would you shut the hell up with your stupid romance novel crap?" Hyde shot out. But he looked unsettled, not the least bit Zen, and Jackie knew some of what she'd said had gotten under his skin.

"Why? It's the truth. And I know you feel it, too."

"I don't feel anything when I'm around you but nausea."

Jackie nodded. "Butterflies in the stomach. I get those, too, Steven!"

"You just refuse to get it, man," Hyde groaned. "What do I have to do to convince you I don't like you?"

"Kiss me."

Hyde's feet slipped off the table. "What?"

"You heard me. Kiss me, just once, and then we'll know."

There was a long, loaded silence as Steven stared at her. She was glad he wasn't wearing his glasses right now, grateful she could see the flickers of insecurity and _want _in the midst of his unchanged expression.

But then he plucked the glasses from the collar of his shirt and put them on. Jackie knew she'd lost before he said a word.

"Whatever. That's just another of your crappy chick superstitions. I'm outta here." He stomped out of the basement and slammed the door behind him.

Jackie absently twirled her hair through her fingers while she sat and thought. Steven loved her. He had to. But what could she do to make him see that?


	57. Eric's Panties

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde; mentions of Jackie/Kelso, Kelso/Laurie**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episode ficlet.

**Eric's Panties**

She sat down on the couch with a sigh. Hyde considered leaving, but decided it wasn't worth the effort. He would just ignore her.

She sighed again, louder this time.

Hyde laughed as John Ritter fell on his ass.

"Steven?"

He would not answer. He would not.

"Steven?" A little more broken this time.

Suzanne Somers was bouncing around in pigtails. _Focus on that._

"Steven, how long was Michael fooling around with Laurie behind my back?"

Oh God, how could they possibly be back to that?

"Why do you care? I thought you were over Kelso." He didn't actually, didn't believe it for a minute. But she'd made such a fuss about being in love with him all these weeks that it was kind of annoying to hear this old tune again.

"I _am_. He's a stupid jerk, and I don't care what sluts he sleeps with. It's just…this stupid thing with Eric and Donna got me thinking. It was a long time, right?"

"A while. I didn't mark it on my calendar or anything." It had been too long, too much damn time spent covering for Kelso's sorry ass, while leaving breadcrumb trails that Jackie never followed.

"And Donna never tried to tell me." Jackie's voice was small and sad.

"In her defense, she didn't know for a long time."

"You knew from the start, though, didn't you, Steven?"

Hyde shrugged, trying not to remember the day by the van. He'd meant to stay there until they were done, to burn them the instant they stepped outside. And then, unaccountably, he'd thought of Jackie, and he'd felt sick. He had slunk away before Kelso and Laurie finished, and it took him hours—and a trip to the circle—before he'd found the humor in it again.

"You tried to warn me so many times. Out of everyone, you were the only one who tried to get Michael caught."

He finally got her angle. She'd tried to sideswipe him by talking about Kelso, but this was all going to come back to her crazy-ass theory that he was in love with her.

"I see where you're going with this, but you're way off, man. I was just enjoying the wicked burn on Kelso, that's all."

"I don't believe you."

"Tough shit."

Jackie slapped her arm down on the armrest. "Why do you have to be like this? I know you love me! Admit it."

"Get bent."

Jackie growled—there was no other word for it—and stood, glaring at him. "One day you're going to realize just how much you need me in your life, Steven Hyde!"

"How about you get lost until that day comes?"

Groaning, Jackie stomped out of the basement.


	58. Baby Fever

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde, past Jackie/Kelso**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episode ficlet.

**Baby Fever**

She had actually begun to doubt herself. She had experienced moments of panic, wondering if Steven was telling the truth.

Today had put all those fears to rest. She knew, without a doubt, that Steven loved her—and the best part was she hadn't even been trying to prove it.

She had crashed Michael's van, while backing up to unload Chip's drum set. Michael had freaked, though she still wasn't sure if it was over the damage to his vehicle or her daring to speak to other guys, despite the fact that they'd been broken up for months now. But that didn't matter.

The important part was that the instant she was in trouble, Steven came to her rescue. Like always.

He defended her to Michael and then came up with a way to settle the fight—a way that could only work to her advantage. He'd sat there, recounting all the horrible things Michael had done, and while Steven and Fez figured out what Michael owed her, it had burst upon her with all the speed of Michael's van hitting that stone wall.

Steven cared.

Not just in an _I-want-your-body _kind of way, though he must feel that, too. After all, he had eyes, and she was frickin' gorgeous. But in an _I'm-your-friend-and-I'll-be-on-your-side _kind of way. Even over Michael's, who had been his friend since childhood.

He'd only cemented that idea by inviting her into the circle, while excluding Michael—on the grounds that there was no nudity in the circle, unless it was chicks—and Fez by making their foreign friend continue the inventory of Michael's wrongs.

So here she sat in Forman's basement, robbed of her eight thousand dollars, yet not caring at all. She was grinning like an idiot, had been ever since Michael ran out of here in his underwear, Fez chasing after him for some reason Jackie chose not to imagine.

She was smiling at Steven, who had once again come through when it mattered, once again proved his undying love for her, once again showed himself to be—

"Stop that," Hyde ordered, eyes on the television.

"Stop what?"

"Thinking that crap you're thinking."

Jackie's smile, if possible, widened. "What am I thinking, Steven?"

"You know what. I didn't do it for you, okay? I did it to burn Kelso."

"Whatever."

"Ah crap. Don't try that; I taught you that. Look, Jackie, burning Kelso is one of the simple pleasures that gets me through life, and you're ruining it for me by constantly assuming it has anything to do with you. It doesn't."

"Okay," Jackie said simply.

Hyde looked at her then, no doubt surprised by her easy capitulation. "Okay?"

"Yes, Steven, that's what I said: okay."

"Okay." Hyde shrugged, turned back to _Happy Days_.

"Hey, Steven?"

"What?"

"Thank you."

Hyde sighed. "You're welcome."


	59. Jackie Bags Hyde

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG**  
Summary: **Hyde and Jackie's first date, beginning to end.  
**Disclaimer: **If you don't know what song I used in this chapter, you are no kind of J/H fan. If you think I own it, you've misjudged the date of my birth by several decades. And some of the dialogue is lifted directly from this episode; I couldn't bring myself to skip a moment.

**Author's Note: **I forgot to include Willofthewisp's ten points in my last update for correctly identifying the Hitchcock reference as "To Catch a Thief," a romantic thriller starring the tragic and beautiful Grace Kelly and the eternally yummy Cary Grant.

**Jackie Bags Hyde**

Jackie tossed him the keys as they approached her dad's Lincoln. She was bouncing on her heels. "Oh Steven, this is so wonderful! Where are you taking me?"

"Uh…" Hyde was all too aware of Kelso and Fez watching their every move. "I don't know yet. Just get in the damn car." He opened her door for her without thinking, then, to make up for it, practically pushed her inside.

He hazarded one more glance at his friends as he walked around to the driver's side. They both looked betrayed and confused. Hyde smirked and waved goodbye. Just because this wasn't what they thought didn't mean he couldn't appreciate the righteous burn.

He slipped inside the Lincoln Continental. As he started the engine, he couldn't help but remember the first time he'd driven this car. Junior Prom. He'd made it with Pam Macy in the backseat that night, but all he could picture as he thought of it now was Jackie in that purple dress, her eyes so big and lost as she'd stared at him.

"Oh, Steven, our very first date," she sighed as he eased the car away from the other vehicles parked every which way down the street.

If he was really going to do this, he was at least making sure she went in without any mistaken notions in that delusional princess head of hers. "Look. About that, Jackie. This isn't really a date, you know."

Her face fell in an instant, brows pulling together, lip emerging in that damnable pout of hers. "It's not? But you said—"

"Well, it is a date, but not the way you're thinking. I'm gonna take you out for a couple hours, but by the end of the night, trust me, you're going to see what I've been telling you all along: there is nothing between us."

And he would finally be able to convince Mrs. Forman, and Leo, and his dad, and even that stupid, tiny shred of himself that sometimes wondered if Jackie and the rest of them weren't right that it was all the delusional fantasy of an addlepated, adolescent girl.

"But what if you're wrong?"

For a second, he wasn't sure if the question came from Jackie or his own mind. "Huh?"

"What if you're wrong, Steven? What if it's the best night of your life and you finally realize you're crazy about me?"

"That's not going to happen." He wouldn't let it.

"But what _if_—"

"You hungry?"

Jackie sighed. She seemed deflated, even smaller somehow, since she'd stopped all that hopping around. "Sure."

Hyde pulled the car into the Hub's parking lot. He could see her judging him for his lack of originality, but he shrugged. It was Point Place; it wasn't as if there was much choice. And she was crazy if she thought he was taking her to the Vineyard or some other fancy-ass place.

The corner booth was open. Jackie slipped into it, while Hyde went to the counter, ordering them each a burger and Coke, with a plate of fries for the table. When he turned around, she wasn't staring at him as he expected her to be—as she had been nearly all the time over the last several weeks. Instead, she was watching the path of her fingernail as it followed one of the etchings on the table.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he sat down across from her.

"Nothing," she said with a heavy sigh that belied her answer.

"Jackie—"

"Why even bother?"

"What?"

"If you're so convinced you don't feel anything for me, why bother with all this?" She gestured around, down, at the pop in front of her.

Hyde frowned. "I don't know," he said honestly.

She kept watching him, silent, and it was as if she was dragging answers he didn't know he had out of him.

"Mrs. Forman said something and…I don't know…maybe I'm not 100% convinced…" Jackie started to smile, so he rushed on, "but I'm still 99.9% sure that this," he gestured from her to himself, "will be a disaster."

"We'll see," she said in that awful, disbelieving voice he'd heard too much of lately.

He hated her tone, but he was oddly relieved to see her looking happy again. Spending the evening with Jackie would be bad enough; spending the next few hours with a sad Jackie would be unbearable.

"Steven?"

"What?"

"Our order's up." Jackie nodded toward the counter.

"Oh. Right." He went to grab their food, glad to have something to distract him from her and the Date of Awkward Moments.

Hyde brought back the tray, watched as she unwrapped her burger and picked off all the onions. He pretended he didn't know why, what she thought would happen, and bit into his own burger. He relished the snap of the onions; it felt like security against her.

"Steven?"

Hyde looked up. He was halfway through his burger, while she had taken only one dainty, ladylike bite out of hers.

"Chip did call me a bitch, didn't he?"

"If you know the answer, why do you keep asking the question?"

"So that's a yes?"

"Yeah." Hyde shifted irritably in his chair. He felt like he was on trial; she'd make a good lawyer if she ever wanted to follow in her father's footsteps and give up being a pampered brat.

"And you punched him for it?"

Hyde shrugged.

"Why'd you do that?"

"I thought you'd already picked an answer that suited you for that one."

"Oh, I know you did it because you love me. But why do _you _think you did it?"

"Because he's an asshole." Hyde was glad that this time he had a valid, easy answer to Jackie's leading question.

"Oh." Jackie frowned. It was obviously not the answer she wanted.

Hyde went back to his burger. He would leave it at that. She didn't need to know that Hyde hated the guy the second he showed up with his arm around Jackie, that it ate away to see her with someone else, when she'd spent so long telling Hyde she loved him. She definitely didn't need to hear what that creep said about nailing her, or Hyde's instant urge to castrate him before letting him anywhere near Jackie again.

Chip was an asshole. It was the simplest answer, which made it the best. Hyde believed in economy of words.

"Steven?"

When he glanced at her this time, Jackie was rolling a French fry around and around in ketchup until it no longer looked edible.

"Yeah?"

"What did Mrs. Forman say?"

"What?" he bit out, suddenly ill-at-ease. Had she overheard?

"You said Mrs. Forman said something, and that's why you asked me out."

Hyde forced himself to relax. "It was nothing. She just, um, she thought you were…."

Jackie's eyes sparkled as she lifted them. "Your girlfriend?"

"Uh, yeah."

"You know, she's not the first to think that, Steven. Your dad did, and that dirty hippie you work for."

"Leo," Hyde corrected.

"Whatever. Sooo you think they might be onto something there?"

"Jackie, they just noticed that you follow me everywhere I freaking go."

"Stalking," Jackie muttered.

Hyde forced himself not to smile. "What was that?"

"Steven, do you feel like I've been stalking you? Donna says I have."

"Nah, it's not stalking. You're just really, really desperate."

"But I ju—" Jackie stopped her defense when she noticed Hyde trying not to laugh. "Steven! I am _not _desperate!" She threw a French fry at him.

"Well, who can blame you? I am irresistible." Hyde smirked.

"Ha! I was resisting you just fine until you got all noble and protective and…and nice."

"And again I say, I'm not that guy."

"Yeah, you are, Steven," Jackie said, her playfulness subsiding into eager earnestness. "You don't know it yet, but you are."

Hyde cleared his throat, dropped his gaze. She was done with her burger. Thank God. "Whatever. You ready to go?"

The joy left Jackie's face. "Oh. I suppose so."

"I thought we could eat up more of your dad's gas."

"Okay!" That luminescence she somehow radiated was back again. Hyde had never known anyone who could go from one extreme to another so quickly. It was exhausting.

He grabbed his pop and ushered her out ahead of him. His hand rested lightly on her lower back—for guiding her, that was all—and he noticed with some annoyance his continued habit of opening doors for her.

Once they were back in the car, he flicked on the radio and started driving. He didn't know where they were going to end up, but he knew he couldn't take her home yet. So far, he hadn't proven anything except that they were capable of sitting through a meal together and actually having a civil conversation while they did so.

Damn it.

Jackie surprised him by not talking his ear off as they drove. Maybe now that her twenty questions were over, she was realizing they didn't have anything to say to each other.

Hyde took the road beside the reservoir. He liked the drive, and it was less intimidating that taking her to Mount Hump. He kind of expected her to demand a trip to a disco or the roller rink, but figured he'd already taught her how those things pissed him off.

"I like it here," Jackie said. "It's…peaceful."

"Yeah." Though he didn't show it, Hyde was shocked. Jackie wasn't a peaceful kind of girl. Jackie was a walking whirlwind.

"Do you think we could maybe pull over somewhere?" Jackie asked tentatively, before adding, "You know, if you want."

"That's cool."

Hyde knew of a lookout spot a few miles up. He'd been there plenty of times before, alone. He had never brought a date there before.

What the hell? There was a first time for everything.

Besides, once he saw Jackie in his Zen spot, he would immediately realize how out of place she was—there, and in his life—and that would be that.

He took the gravel turnout and backed the car to a stop on the grass-covered overlook. He was going to kill the motor, but her hand on his stopped him.

"Leave the music on."

Hyde shrugged. It was pretty much the first thing she'd asked him for tonight—well, told him to do; Jackie didn't ask—and if she didn't care about running down the battery on Daddy's Lincoln, why should he?

Hyde snatched his pop from her—she'd held it on the drive—and went to sit on the trunk of the car. They'd had an Indian summer this year, almost unheard of in Wisconsin, but the forecast called for snow next week, and Hyde wasn't going to waste this last night of warm weather.

Plus, sitting next to Jackie in a car that had proven panty-removal quality seemed a recipe for trouble.

Jackie fidgeted with the radio for a while, turning off the rock station Hyde had picked. She finally settled on some mainstream Top 40 garbage. Hyde decided to let it be and thank Clapton she hadn't picked disco. She left her door open, letting the music flow over them and into the air all around. It actually kinda fit this place.

With a contented little sigh, Jackie pulled herself up on the trunk beside him. She looked at him, expectantly, but he refused to turn toward her.

"Steven, don't you think—"

"No."

"Oh. Well, then, maybe you'd—"

"Nope."

"Oh. Okay."

And that was it. She didn't talk anymore. She didn't press him. She didn't even chat his ear off with stupid girly stuff he didn't care about. She looked around her, face turning this way and that, first watching the river, then him, then the sky. Back to him. She couldn't sit still. Like some freaking first grader.

It was annoying. But not as annoying as it could have been. She could have been talking.

He thought of Chip again, of agreeing with him on hating when Jackie talked, and his stomach clenched. Sure, Jackie was a pain with her _I'm-so-pretty _and her _look-at-me_, but it wasn't that bad. Most of the time. And when it got unbearable, Hyde had pretty much perfected how to tune her out. Plus, she could be quiet sometimes.

Like now.

The minutes were dragging by in silence, except for the music and the river below them. Hyde found himself wanting something he had never wanted before. He wished Jackie would say something—_anything_—to break up the quiet. The worst part was knowing she wasn't talking to please him, because it was what she thought he wanted.

Hell, it was what he thought he wanted until he had it.

Now, though, in this silence, he was able to do too much damn thinking. About how she suited this place more than he thought she would. About how this night hadn't sucked the way he'd imagined. It wasn't earth-shattering and life-changing, like that night he'd met Chrissy, but as first dates went, it wasn't that bad. Maybe because he already knew her. There wasn't all that crappy small talk about hobbies and interests. It was all just…easy, mellow.

Zen.

The thought disturbed him, so he shut it down.

He needed to remember all the things he hated about her. She was shallow and rich and mean and bossy, like he'd told Mrs. Forman. And he hated those things about her.

"_Steven, you hate everything."_

Kitty's words floated back to him, and, though he'd questioned them at the time, he thought he understood them now.

Hyde hated everything—well, a lot of things—about Jackie, but he didn't hate her.

So if he didn't hate her, what did he feel for her?

Oh crap. He couldn't ask himself that. Couldn't turn into a girly dumbass like Forman. Definitely couldn't become infected with Jackie like Kelso and Fez.

What if it was already too late?

He'd punched out Chip for her, gone to jail for her, hell, gone to the frickin' junior prom for her. She wasn't wrong in thinking these weren't things he normally did. Not for anyone, and especially not for a chick like her.

But he couldn't. He couldn't let himself. And he wouldn't.

He really wished she'd say something.

Taking a drink of his Coke, Hyde tried to clear his mind of all thought. It would be easier if he'd thought to bring his stash.

Jackie sighed. He risked a small glance at her. She smiled softly. "This is the best date ever."

"Jackie, we haven't talked in thirty minutes."

"That's okay. Steven, you don't have to say anything. I understand you."

Something about that ridiculous statement—or maybe about the secret, little smile that accompanied it—made cold chills sweep down his back. He snorted, looked away, tried to laugh it off with an, "Oh, you do, do you?"

"Sure. So you're probably sitting there, thinking, I'm on this date with this girl, who really, _really_ likes me. And she's so beautiful—"

"Jackie—"

She placed a finger over his lips. "Hush. And you're probably wondering…" The finger dropped, and with it her bright shallowness. "How can I open up to her when everyone I have ever loved has abandoned me? Am I even worthy of love? Well, you are, Steven. You are."

Jackie was crazy. She was frickin' nuts if she imagined he thought about things like that. He was going to knock that girlified notion out of her head right now.

He raised his hands to his eyes, under his shades, and pretended to cry.

Immediately, Jackie reached out to him. "It's okay, it's okay, Steven. You know what? Let it out. Let it all out." She rubbed his back, held onto his arm. "It's okay."

He blew a raspberry in the air beside her.

Jackie wiped a drop of spit from her face. She threw her hands in the air as she hopped down. "Let's go home," she ordered.

He had done it. He'd convinced her it was hopeless. He could take her home now, his point successfully proven.

He didn't want to win like this.

"Oh come on. I'm kidding. No, no, this is, this is all right. We can hang out here for a while, okay?"

Jackie smiled at him, did a girlish little hip twist. It was annoying. It was cute as hell.

"God," he said, turning away as she came back to sit beside him. He saw his Coke and, as a goodwill offering only, held it out to her. "Here, have some of my pop."

"Sure," she said, but she looked at him under the cover of her lashes, and he knew she was going to see this as another Big Thing he had done for her.

Exasperated—with her or with himself, he wasn't sure—Hyde sighed.

Jackie scooted over until she was sitting hip to hip against him. It didn't bother him, so he let her stay. She took hold of his arm, pulled it across his shoulders, and smiled right into his eyes.

"Okay." He'd let her stay. Just this once. But only because it was no big deal. Not because he liked the feel of her so close to him or the scent of whatever sweet, flowery crap she put into her hair.

But he couldn't stop the feeling that this was all so easy. Comfortable. That it wouldn't take much effort to get used to sitting in her car or the basement or the Hub with his arm wrapped around her shoulders. That maybe Mrs. Forman was right after all. Maybe Jackie being his girl wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

They sat for another few minutes, him trying not to think about it, her sipping on his straw in a way that should been annoying but wasn't, until she suddenly gasped and jumped to the ground.

"I love this song! Steven, you have to dance with me."

_Blue jean baby,  
L.A. lady,  
Seamstress for the band_

Elton John. Huh. Hyde was surprised at Jackie's not completely horrible taste. But still, he didn't dance, and he didn't take orders from Jackie. "Uh, no."

She stood between his legs, hands on his knees, and pouted. "Please, Steven? Just this once."

Hyde groaned, but obediently hopped off the car. This chick could make the devil go to church. "One song. That's it."

Her pout fell away, replaced by a dizzying, dazzling smile. "One song," she agreed.

Tentatively, Hyde reached out and found her waist. He took her hand, drew her body into his. Slowly, they circled around on the grass. He didn't think about how warm she felt pressed against him, about how her breath tickled his throat, made him wish she'd move a little bit closer and—

He wished Elton John would shut up already.

_And now she's in me,  
Always with me,  
Tiny dancer in my hand_

Correction. Wished he'd shut the hell up. Now.

"Steven?"

"Yeah?"

"I like dancing with you. Do you like dancing with me?"

Hyde groaned. "Do you have to talk?"

"Sorry," she muttered. But her head left his shoulder, body stiffened in his arms.

She was so damn irritating.

"It doesn't suck," he confessed.

She smiled at him, one of those eyes-shining, hero-worshipping ones that pissed him off the most. But then she laid her head back down, into the curve of his neck, and he decided to let it go.

When the song ended, Hyde was prepared for her to wheedle him into one more dance, had decided it couldn't really hurt anything. But she didn't even try, just said, "Thank you, Steven," very quietly, and went back to the car, sitting on the side of the hood this time.

Fighting back a strange surge of disappointment, Hyde followed her.

The breeze started to pick up, and Jackie shivered. "I guess we should probably be heading back soon."

"You bored?" Hyde didn't understand his own reluctance to let this night end. Didn't want to understand it.

"No. Just cold."

"Oh. Here." He took off his jacket, wrapped it around her shoulders. Didn't think about how much he liked seeing her in it, or the way she put her arms into the sleeves, making it hers.

Definitely didn't find it cute that her hands were lost somewhere at the start of his cuffs.

"Thanks," she practically whispered. It surprised him. Usually when he did something nice for her, she got extra loud. Now, silence hung about her as easily as that jacket of his.

She looked up at the sky, back at him, up at the sky. Back at him. This time, he looked at her. Jackie looked away.

"So. Our first date's almost over." She smiled at him, shy and coy, and he still didn't know how she did that or why it made him want to smile back at her.

"Yep," he agreed, wondering why that thought didn't make him as happy as it was supposed to.

"What'd you think?"

He knew what she was really asking. Had he changed his mind? Did he like her after all?

Hyde didn't talk about that kind of crap.

"It was no worse than bowling."

She looked confused, almost as if she was going to get upset, but then she smiled nervously.

"And I don't hate bowling," he added, eyes on her smile. Her lips.

Jackie looked at him, her gaze lowered to his mouth, flickered up and then back down as she leaned slowly toward him.

It all felt like it was happening in slow motion. He brought his head down, just slightly, tilted to meet her approaching lips. It was a brush, hardly a touch. One moment to see what it felt like.

He would be sure to pull away after that.

Except he didn't. She tasted like his Coke and her strawberry lip gloss, and something else—something uniquely Jackie—and he wanted more of it.

Her mouth parted slightly beneath his, but he didn't try to push for more. This was an innocent kiss, an exploring kiss. He took her plump bottom lip in both of his, wondered why this schoolgirl's mouth felt better than any more experienced woman he'd done dirty, dirty things to.

Jackie's hand came up to his face, cradling his cheek, encouraging his kiss. He felt as if he melted at her touch, that she was taking something hard and cold inside of him and making it thaw.

She stilled against him. They both moved back, stared at each other.

"Huh," Jackie said. "Okay, I didn't feel anything."

Hyde tried to take it in. That kiss which had the potential to reshape his world, and she'd felt—"Nothing?"

"Well, I mean the kiss was hot," she rushed to explain. "But…" She paused, seeming confused. "Well, did you feel something?"

He could tell the truth, say he did. And she could laugh at him for being such a moron, for starting to believe—despite everything he'd said to her and everyone—that there might be something between them.

"Uh…" She might not laugh. She might be thrilled. She might get all shrieky and excited. "No." She might kiss him again. "Well…" She might still walk away. "No." He nodded to himself. That was the right decision, the only decision.

His mouth still tingled from the pressure of hers. He touched his lips, sucked them in, willed the feeling away.

"So," said Jackie. "I guess that's it then. Turns out you were right about us all along." But she followed her words with this weird little half-laugh that sounded hurt, made him wonder how honest _she _was being right now.

"Yep," he agreed, deciding to let it go. This was the end of all her infuriating little games, all her following him around. She'd show up with more guys like Chip, or get back together with Kelso again—until the next time they broke up.

Whatever. It wasn't Hyde's problem anymore. Not that it ever had been.

"So what happens now?" she asked.

Hyde, again, knew what she was really asking. Did they go back to being mortal enemies? Did they forget this night ever happened? Could they, perhaps, manage to be friends?

"I'm not opposed to doing it." It was a joke. Mostly.

Jackie's mouth dropped open, but then she laughed and slapped him. "Take me home, you pig," she shrieked.

"Yes, dear," he teased back as he helped her into the car.

But he felt…better. As though some sort of weight, a tension, had lifted. All the way back, she chattered on in typical Jackie fashion, and it was a relief. He didn't even bother telling her to shut up, doubted she would listen anymore if he did. She was back to being her annoying self in his presence, and that was all he could ask for.

When he dropped her off at her house, she bolted from the car, before he had the chance to open her door—not that he would have—almost forgetting the keys to the Lincoln. She barely touched him when he handed them to her.

"Night, Jackie," he said. He wanted her to look at him, wanted some acknowledgment at least before they both erased all this from memory.

She did meet his eyes then, her eyes full and sparkling in the moonlight. "Night, Stev—Hyde—Steven." He saw the struggle on her face and was strangely happy she'd decided he was still going to be Steven to her.

Hyde nodded his approval, and she disappeared inside. He started the long walk back to the Formans. He shivered a little and realized he'd forgotten to get his jacket back. Oh well. Jackie would bring it to the basement tomorrow, he was sure. And if she didn't…well, it looked better on her anyway.

The night had ended for the best, he'd decided. He didn't need a chick turning his life upside down, especially not one as demanding and impossible as Jackie Burkhart. But they could maybe be something like friends now, or at least have an amicable truce, and surely all their friends would appreciate that.

Friends with Jackie. Yeah, that sounded okay.

For now.


	60. Hyde's Christmas Rager

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairing:** Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary: **A missing scene.  
**Disclaimer: **I've already established that I do not own That '70s Show or its characters. This goes double for the Rolling Stones and their songs. All the lyrics reprinted here come from their 1978 album _Some Girls_, the songs "Miss You," "Just My Imagination," and "Lies." Yes, I know this season is supposed to take place in 1977, but this album fit perfectly, so…deal with it.  
**Author's Note: **Um, this diverges more from canon than most of these chapters have, but it's the plot bunny that made me start this whole story, so I hope you'll allow it. And thank you all again for the fabulous reviews! No one gives kinder reviews than Zen fans. You are the best!

**Hyde's Christmas Rager**

Six weeks had passed since that night…since that kiss. Six weeks of telling herself she'd done the right thing, the smart thing, the only thing she could have done to protect her heart. He had flat out told her how the date was going to end, and no matter how sweet he had been, despite having given her his pop and his jacket and dancing with her under the stars, he was still going to break her heart at the end of it.

So she'd lied. Kept her heart unshattered—mostly—and what little was left of her pride, and told him she didn't feel a thing.

It wasn't a hard lie to tell, either. While she definitely felt _something_ in that kiss, it wasn't anything like what she had expected to feel. When Michael kissed her, she always felt butterflies flutter in her stomach. In Michael's arms, she could see the white wedding dress and the picket fence and the happily ever after. That was what love was supposed to feel like.

When Stephen kissed her, her stomach dropped out. The warmth tingled at the back of her skull, at the tips of her toes; it ached—oh, how it ached!—in her belly. But she could not see her perfect wedding. All she pictured was a sweaty tangle of limbs and her naked ass on the edge of Daddy's Lincoln.

Like Kat Peterson.

That was Hyde's idea of a relationship, she knew. Love 'em and leave 'em, and he wasn't too picky about the love 'em part either.

Jackie couldn't—would _not_—be that kind of girl.

But it had been six weeks, and she had yet to forget that kiss. It scorched through her dreams, made her wake trembling and throbbing. It teased her when she hung out with the gang, pretending not to care about him anymore. It left her fretful and nervous and terrified that no one else was ever going to make her feel that way again.

So she made up her mind to put it behind her the best way she knew how. She would find someone else to kiss her, love her, make her feel wanted.

It seemed a good plan until she ended up at a crappy bar, chatting up one of her mom's ex-boyfriends. Now she felt dirty and sick, desperate for something or someone to make her feel better.

Seven weeks ago, she would have run to Steven, confident he could make all her problems disappear. She couldn't do that now. He was part of the problem.

So she dropped off Donna and headed home to run herself an indulgent bubble bath.

But she was in for a surprise. Her mother had come home for Christmas after all. She met Jackie in the front hall, margarita in hand. "Jackie, honey, merry Christmas! I know how much you missed me."

Her mother laughed. It was tinkling, pristine, a silver spoon against a crystal goblet. Jackie had always loved the sound, taken it as a compliment when someone said hers sounded just the same.

At this moment, it was nails on a chalkboard. She suddenly realized it was hollow, joyless.

"I didn't," she found herself saying as she ran up the stairs. "I didn't miss you at all!" She ran all the way to her room, threw herself on the bed and grabbed Fluffycakes, the only thing in the world that loved her unconditionally.

"Jacqueline?" her mother twittered as she followed her. "What's wrong, honey? It's not like you to cause such a scene."

"Nothing's wrong, Mom," Jackie mumbled. Another lie. Her whole damn life was nothing but lies.

"Is it a boy?"

Jackie sat up, surprised by her mother's insight. "How did you know?"

"You're my daughter, aren't you? Even though I look young enough to be your sister." Pam laughed again, shook back her bleached blonde hair and flashed her gleaming, white teeth. "You must have every boy in town running after you."

"Not exactly." Not the only one who mattered.

"You know, Jackie," her mom went on, not even listening to her, "I was quite the social butterfly myself in high school."

"Oh, I believe it," Jackie mumbled bitterly. She thought again of the fireman in the bar and fought back a wave of nausea. "Mom, why did you marry Daddy?"

Pam blinked as though she couldn't comprehend the question, or as though the question weren't worth comprehending. "How silly you're being tonight, Jackie. I married him for his money, of course. I knew he could provide for me and buy me shiny things."

Jackie nodded. She knew that. It was the foundation for any intelligent, beautiful woman's happiness. But she had lost sight of it somehow in her quest for Steven, perhaps because he made her feel protected in a different way. It was time to get her focus back.

"Thanks, Mom. You know that's my favorite bedtime story."

Pam leaned over, touching Jackie's hair, air-kissing her cheeks. "You're welcome, honey."

"I want to find a man just like Daddy someday."

Something crossed over her mother's face as she pulled away, something sad and not-so-perfect. "Yes, well, you have plenty of time for that, Jacqueline. You should…you should date boys who make you feel good for a while."

"Really?" Jackie was shocked. Her mother never talked like this.

Pam laughed, flawless again. "Well, darling, it's not like there's anyone rich enough for you in Point Place anyway. I'll take you to New York when it's time to find a husband."

Jackie smiled at the prospect. Like a princess in a fairytale, with her mom as fairy godmother and the Plaza Hotel as her palace. "I'd like that. And Mom? I lied earlier. I did miss you."

"Well, of course you did. Who wouldn't?"

--

She couldn't believe she was doing this. Even with one of her mother's margaritas flowing through her system to give her courage, it took all her nerve to knock on the apartment door.

"Oh, hello. Jackie, wasn't it? What are you doing here?"

"I, um, I…" Her mouth felt dry. She had not been expecting Steven's dad to answer the door, hadn't prepared anything to say to him. Then she remembered her built-in excuse. "Oh, I brought Steven's Christmas present." She lifted the wrapped package at her side for proof. "Is he here?"

"Well, he is, but…" Bud frowned, seemed torn. "I'm not sure if I should let you in or not. Say, do you know what Red would do?"

"What?"

"Steven's grounded, in view of that kegger he threw tonight. Hey, weren't you there?"

"No, I left before it started."

"Why?"

"Because…_ewww_."

Bud laughed and opened the door. "You're a nice girl, Jackie. I'm not gonna deny Steven access to nice girls. He might pick one like his mother if I do. He's in his room."

Jackie thanked Bud and headed for Steven's room. It was dark inside when she opened the door. "Steven?" she whispered.

No answer beyond his deep, even breathing. Maybe she should leave the record and go.

No. She did not come all the way over here to chicken out. She slipped into the room, closing the door soundlessly behind her.

Waiting a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dim light coming from the window, she stepped over to Steven's bed. She sat on the edge, took in Steven's sleeping form. His face looked so much younger, relaxed in sleep, ever-present sunglasses nowhere to be seen.

On impulse, Jackie leaned over and gently kissed each eyelid. Steven shifted, but didn't wake. "Steven," she sing-songed, her hands drifting over his shoulders.

He muttered something incoherent.

"Steven!" she yelled.

He jumped, eyes flying open. "I wasn't doing anything, Mrs. Forman."

Jackie giggled. "Steven, it's me."

Hyde struggled to sit up. "Jackie? What are you doing here?"

"I came to give you your Christmas present."

"At one in the morning?"

"Yes."

"O-kay," he said slowly. "Why?"

"Because I wanted to. Here." She pushed the gift at him.

"Uh, thanks, Jackie, but I didn't really get you anything so…" Steven shook his head, obviously still trying to wake up. "Why are you here again?"

Jackie groaned. "I got it for you weeks ago, back when I thought you and I…well, open it. I know you haven't got many presents before, Steven, but it's rude to just sit there holding it."

"Oh. Right." He held the thin square out in front of him, trying to make it out in the dark room. "It's not ABBA, is it?"

Jackie grabbed it from him. "Here. Let me do it. Staring at an unwrapped present makes my fingers itch." She tore off her own beautiful wrapping paper and handed the album back to him.

"You got me the Stones?"

"What? Don't you like them anymore?"

"Yeah, I do. That's why I'm sur…thanks, Jackie. I'm sorry I didn't get you anything."

"It's fine, Steven. Daddy always gets me everything I want anyway."

"Right. Well, I guess..."

"There is something you could do for me, though."

"Of course there is," Hyde said, as though he had been waiting for the other shoe to drop. "Let's hear it."

"You could, um, you could let me stay and listen to that record with you."

"_You _want to listen to the Rolling Stones?"

"Yeah, well, there must be something good about them, right? Or they couldn't have so many women throwing panties at them, because they are _not _hot."

"Er, right. Okay, Jackie. Just let me go borrow Bud's record player…if he'll let me. He's being a real hardass tonight."

"Tell him I asked for it. Your dad likes me. Well, who wouldn't?"

"Uh, sure. I'll be right back." Steven pushed the covers off and stood. Jackie traced the lines in his back beneath his white undershirt. She liked that he wore sweatpants to bed. Michael always wore tight briefs, and that was disgusting.

"Brush your teeth, too, Steven. Your breath smells like beer and bananas."

"Whatever."

Once Steven left, shutting the door behind him, Jackie took off her jacket and beret. She smoothed out her skirt and Steven's sheets, wishing she could iron the worries out of her mind as easily.

It had seemed so simple when she first thought of it after her mom left. Go find Steven and finish what they'd started on Veteran's Day. She wanted to. She'd been wanting to for the last six weeks, and avoiding that reality had only led her someplace she didn't want to be.

But now, here, she couldn't think of a way to begin, short of completely throwing herself at him. She wasn't about to do that. She was Jackie Burkhart, after all; men threw themselves at _her_. Only Steven never had, and she couldn't think he was about to just because she got him a Christmas present.

Jackie sat back on the bed, legs crossed primly, hands resting on her knees. She tossed her hair, sent out a few flirtatious smiles to the empty room, in an attempt to boost her confidence. How could any boy turn down the chance to make out with her?

The door clicked open. She immediately schooled her face into lines of disinterest. Steven flicked on the light as he entered, which annoyed her; this would be so much easier in the dark. He set the record player on a wooden chair, the only furniture in the room besides the bed, and started adjusting it.

Jackie searched for something to say. "So…how did your party go?"

"Forman got wasted and threw up on Red's shoes, but then Bud stopped Fez from lighting himself on fire, so it was a night of highs and lows, man." Hyde chuckled as the first chords started to come from the stereo.

_I've been holding out so long  
I've been sleeping all alone  
Lord, I miss you  
I've been hanging on the phone  
I've been sleeping all alone  
I want to kiss you_

This was not Jackie's kind of music, but the opening words resonated deeply, and the primal beat pulsed through her veins, giving her added courage.

Hyde turned around, looked at her on the bed, and then sat on the floor against the wall. Well, that wouldn't help anything.

"What are you doing?" she asked before she could stop herself.

"Listening to the Stones. You said you wanted to, right?"

"Yes, but I meant…" She couldn't finish.

"Jackie, what's going on with you?"

"Me? Nothing. Why would you think anything—"

"Earlier today, you couldn't wait to get out of here, and now you come back in the middle of the night to give me a present? If it were anyone but you, I'd think…"

Jackie guiltily plucked at the quilt beneath her.

"Seriously!? You're here for se—"

"_NO!_" Jackie shouted, feeling the blood surge to her face. "Not for…_that_. I just…" She sighed. She would have to tell him now, at least part of it. "It's Christmas, and I've never been alone on Christmas before, and no one's kissed me today, so I went to this horrible bar with Donna, and I met these guys there, and…" She could feel the tears forming, tried to bite them back and couldn't.

"What did they do?" Steven was on his feet, his hands forming into fists. If she were less upset, she would have taken a moment to enjoy his protectiveness.

As it was, she bawled, "They dated my mom!"

"What?"

"Well, just one did. But still…"

Hyde choked on a laugh. "You hit on your mom's ex-boyfriend?"

"Shut UP, Steven!" Jackie glared at him, getting to her own feet. He still towered over her, though, by several inches, so she wasn't sure how much that really helped.

"Come on, Jackie, that's good stuff."

"No, it's not! It's…it's humiliating!"

"Well, yeah, that's what makes it good." Hyde smirked.

"You jerk!" she fumed, hitting him on the shoulder. "I can't believe I thought you…"

"Thought I'd what?"

Her face was tomato red by now, she was sure of it. "I don't know. Make me feel better, I guess," she mumbled to his feet.

"Yeah, I can't believe you thought that either," Hyde said. But it was that light, teasing voice he'd taken to using with her since Veteran's Day. She couldn't stay mad when he spoke to her like that.

Jackie glanced back up as the blush receded. He was smiling down at her, and she wanted to…she just _wanted_. Without thought, she stood on tiptoes, reaching for his face to pull it down.

Hyde stumbled backwards. "Whoa, Jackie. I thought we decided we weren't doing that. You didn't feel anything, remember?"

She could tell him it was a lie; she could take it all back. And he could laugh at her, burn her, just like he'd done about the fireman.

"I know, Steven. This isn't about that."

"Then what is it about?"

"Didn't you hear me? It's Christmas, and no one has kissed me!" She pouted. Men—this one in particular—had never been able to resist her when she pouted.

"So go wake up Kelso; I'm sure he'd have his tongue down your throat before you could blink."

"I don't want to kiss Michael! I want to kiss—" She made herself stop before saying something unbelievably stupid. Took a deep breath and started again. "I don't want to bring up all that relationship garbage. All I want is to feel better for a minute. If anyone should understand that, it ought to be you."

"Why me?"

"You're kidding, right? Kat Peterson, Pam Macy, that Chrissy girl, whoever the hell else you've…all I mean is, you're not a relationship guy, and I'm not looking for anything beyond a Christmas kiss."

"So, basically, you came to use me." Bitterness and scorn laced his words, and Jackie had never seen Steven look that furious with her—not even when he was reciting poetry about her death.

Jackie cringed, backed up to sit on the bed again. "No, I didn't! At least I don't think I did. Oh, I don't know why I came anymore." She could feel the tears again, burning in her eyes, at the back of her throat. God, why did she have to be so emotional all the time? She lay down and buried her face in the pillow, forgetting for the moment that it was Steven's, not hers.

As soon as she inhaled, she remembered. It smelled like him. It was still warm from his head. She was an idiot, a stupid moron weeping tears into cotton because it smelled like a boy she had ordered herself not to love anymore.

"Jackie." Hyde's voice was soft, coaxing, as he sat next to her on the bed, awkwardly patted her back. "Jackie, stop that, okay? Come on, Jackie, this is stupid."

She tried to stop. Really, she did. But he was being so nice, and she was so awful, and it all made her cry even harder.

"Jackie, stop. Stop! Look, do you want a kiss?"

The shock of his offer made her sit up, tears immediately drying in her eyes. "What? I mean, yes. Yes."

Hyde shifted uncomfortably. His eyes were bare, as they hadn't been _that _night, and Jackie could see how nervous he was. She wondered if he'd been nervous that night, or if this was because she had pretty much blackmailed him into it. She pushed the nasty thought aside; he wouldn't have asked if he didn't want to deep down.

After that, her brain shut down completely. Steven was moving closer to her, as she scooted over toward him, and Mick Jagger kept singing in the background.

_Her love is ecstasy  
When her arms enfold me  
I hear her tender rhapsody_

Jackie leaned into him, as he tilted his head towards her, and their lips met somewhere in the middle. It was waking up after a hundred years' sleep, her blood singing, heart soaring. He was so gentle with her, didn't force his way into her mouth the way Michael always had, and yet her body hummed in anticipation.

She reached a hand to his face, and felt him tense, still. This was the point where she had pulled away the last time, but instead she circled her fingers around to play with the curls of his hair. She forced him closer, parted her lips a bit more.

Hyde's mouth moved against hers as if he'd been kissing her his entire life, as if he never intended to stop. His tongue gently traced the line of her lip, and…did that moan come from her throat or his?

Jackie didn't know, couldn't stop to think. Any minute now, he might pull away, or she might remember how stupid this was. Right now, she had to savor every brush of his lips across hers, every inner pulsation at the movements of his tongue.

She bit his lower lip softly, just to see how he'd react, and the next thing she knew she was on her back, and Steven was kissing her with the kind of unhurried ferocity she thought only existed in romance novels.

Her hands went to his sides, fisted in his thin shirt, but his stayed locked on her face, caressing her cheekbones, her neck, her hair. She felt precious and wanted and—

Someone pounded on the door. Steven shot off her as if he'd been electrified. He was back sitting against the wall before Bud had even poked in his head. Jackie had managed to sit up and hoped her dress wasn't too wrinkled, that the smile she sent Hyde's dad was endearing and not bewildered.

"Look, Steven, the more I think about this, the more I think Red wouldn't approve. Jackie will need to go. Sorry, Jackie." Bud gave her an apologetic nod. "You can come back tomorrow. Or not. How long do groundings usually last?" Shaking his head in confusion, Bud walked away. He left the door open.

"I…I should go then," Jackie stuttered. She couldn't quite look at Steven.

"Yep. Night."

"Merry Christmas, Steven." Jackie gathered her coat, hat and purse. Tried to gather her dignity as well.

Hyde hadn't moved from his spot at the wall. She looked up at him, and he offered her a grudging, "Merry Christmas. Thanks again for the record."

"You're welcome." She stood for a moment, at a loss for words, before heading to the door.

"This doesn't change anything, you know," he shot after her.

Spine stiffening, Jackie paused in the doorway. She didn't look back, could not bear to let him see the tears smarting again in her eyes. "For me, either," she said and kept walking. Hyde's stupid record taunted her with every step.

_Lies, dripping off your mouth like dirt  
Lies, lies, in every step you walk  
Lies, whispered sweetly in my ear  
Lies, how do I get out of here?_


	61. Ice Shack

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde, Jackie/Kelso  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-ep ficlet.

**Ice Shack**

It had been a weird, miserable weekend, and Jackie had never been happier to be back in Point Place. She had only gone in the first place because Michael said the whole gang was going. It would have been suspicious if she pulled out just because Hyde wasn't there.

But, for reasons she didn't care to explore, Steven's absence put her in a foul mood. A mood that only got worse when she saw where Michael's stupidity had brought them.

The ice shack was small and smelly, and there was nothing to do. Fez's suggestion of _The Newlywed Game _had given her something else to focus on at least. Jackie was, by nature, a competitive person. Being the best at everything, she almost never lost. But Michael was on her team, and that could spell disaster.

Except it didn't. Apparently, Michael actually _had _been listening when she talked; in fact, maybe he knew her better than anybody. Wasn't that what she wanted? Someone who knew her, inside and out, and still loved her?

For a minute, she could see the fairytale again, the one which had been ripped to pieces when her prince cheated with the evil witch. She had seen the chance to have her perfect life back.

Then, Michael had to start acting like a jerk about how he beat Fez, and Jackie realized none of it had ever been about her.

A two mile hike over ice and snow to the nearest cabin, after the van's sinking left them stranded, had given Jackie plenty of time to mope about it. It was then she'd realized: she missed Steven. Steven, who would have given her his jacket without needing it spelled out for him like Michael, without expecting anything in return like Fez.

She thought of Steven the whole ride back—in the Vista Cruiser, Red cursing them out all the way.

Jackie had gone home, showered as quickly as possible, while still purging herself of the fish smell, and rushed back to the Formans' basement. She was sure the others would all be napping, exhausted after their sleepless night. Jackie was tired, too, but she had to talk to Steven first.

He was sitting in his chair watching television, as she'd known he would be. Trying to be casual, she planted herself lightly on the left side of the couch. "Hey, Steven."

"Hey," he grunted back.

"We, uh, we missed you on the trip. Did you have to work or something?"

"Yep. Plus, Kelso didn't tell me about it."

"He didn't?" Jackie was torn, irritated with Michael for purposely keeping her from Steven, yet flattered he'd gone to such lengths. Scheming wasn't easy for Michael.

"Forman filled me in, though. Doesn't sound like I missed much. Except you and Kelso killing his van by doing it. Bet that was pretty funny." He didn't sound like he thought it was funny. He sounded…annoyed.

"Oh my God! Michael and I did _not _do it. The moron sunk his own van by bouncing around saying he beat Fez."

Hyde turned slightly to look at her. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Hyde chuckled. "That's even better, man."

Jackie giggled along with him. It was always so easy to be around Steven. She just wished...

"Steven, what's my favorite color?"

"What the hell do I care?"

Jackie sighed. Apparently, no matter what she chose, she couldn't have everything.


	62. Who Wants It More

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde, Eric/Donna**  
Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary: **A missing scene immediately following the girls/boys conversation.

**Who Wants It More**

"Hi, Steven. Hey, Eric, how are you doing?"

Eric's head snapped up in that twitchy way of his. "Fine. Why? What have you heard? 'Cause I'm…fine."

Jackie held in her laughter as she used the opportunity to further her friend's cause. "Me? Nothing. Say, doesn't Donna look even more beautiful lately? I mean, it's like in the last three days her hotness quotient has tripled."

Hyde chuckled while Eric squirmed. "You know, I've noticed that, too, Jackie. Of course, I'm a guy; I'm supposed to notice. You saying something like that, it just makes me think you want to make out with her. Wouldn't that be something, Forman? Donna and Jackie—"

"Oh God!" Eric choked, before practically flying up the stairs.

Hyde and Jackie both laughed at their friend's misery, while Jackie sat down in the vacant spot on the couch Eric left behind. She assumed by the way Steven had added to the burn that Eric had already filled him in on the whole story, so she wouldn't even be telling Donna's secret if she talked about it with him. Not that she wouldn't have anyway, but this way she had an excuse if Donna yelled at her later.

"He is _so _going to be the one to cave."

"Yep," Hyde agreed, with a despairing sigh and a shake of his head. "Forman's too weak to pull off something like this."

"Well, yeah." Jackie rolled her eyes. "And I don't care _what _Donna says; no girl wants sex as much as guys do."

Hyde was watching her from behind those damn glasses. Jackie looked down at her nails, pretended not to notice. "You think so, huh?"

There it was again, that spasm in her belly only Steven ever caused, and he made it happen without even trying.

Jackie laughed nervously. "Of course. If you're a guy, then…well…but if you're a girl, then…" She flushed, unable to talk about this. Especially not with him.

"Yeah, you're probably right," he said. But as he spoke, he closed the distance between them. One hand landed on her knee, tracing light, little circles on her kneecap and the soft underside of her calf. The other found the curve of her neck, drawing her closer.

"Wh-what are you doing?" she stammered.

"Proving your point." The words were breathed into her ear.

Jackie shuddered but didn't pull away. The thought didn't even occur to her as he peppered little kisses along her hairline. And his hands…his hands were magic.

Steven never touched her breasts—the only parts of her body Michael had ever deemed worth the effort—but it seemed she could feel him everywhere else. Her legs, arms, sides, back. Everywhere he touched, her skin tingled. He brushed her stomach under her shirt, and she suddenly hated every one of her damn winter layers, no matter how fashionable they were.

Steven's mouth traced her jaw, found her earlobe, and—

"God," she moaned, hands clutching desperately at his shoulders.

He cradled her neck with both hands, brought her face into alignment with his. Her eyes fluttered closed, lips parting expectantly.

He didn't kiss her.

Confused, Jackie opened her eyes and found Hyde smirking down at her.

"Guess you're right, Jackie. Women just don't want it."

She shoved him away from her and stood, willing her legs not to shake. "You…you jerk! I hate you!"

"The feeling's mutual, baby."

Jackie turned and ran, praying he didn't see the burning tears in her eyes.


	63. Fez Gets the Girl

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Characters: **Hyde, Jackie, Kelso  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A 100-word post-episode drabble

**Fez Gets the Girl**

Hyde was pissed. He spent all that time sucking up to Donna, and she gave the tickets to _Fez_? That shit was not right.

To drive the screw deeper, he cranked the volume on the record player.

"Turn it down. That music is awful!"

"Aha!" Kelso cried, pointing at Jackie. "I knew you hated Zeppelin."

"So what? It wasn't about the music anyway."

"Yes, it was," Hyde argued.

"_No_!" Jackie glared at him. "It was about who Donna loves most."

"And, apparently, that's Fez."

"Oh, who cares? Your music sucks. And I'm going home." Jackie stomped out of the basement.


	64. Dine & Dash

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde, Jackie/Kelso  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary: **A missing scene after the circle.

**Dine & Dash**

He couldn't be left alone with her tonight. He could not let that happen. Not while he was still high off the pot and the feel of doing something illegal for the first time in months. Not while her eyes were sparkling from the thrill of doing something wrong for once in her perfect cheerleader life. Definitely not while she kept staring at him and moistening her lips, and his foot kept tapping because he couldn't sit still, and Fez and Kelso kept chattering stupidly on, oblivious to it all.

She'd been playing this stupid game with him for weeks now. On/off, hot/cold. She couldn't make up her damn mind. And he, idiot that he was, kept playing right along. He was beginning to wonder if she killed brain cells with her touch, if that was Kelso's real problem. Hyde felt himself becoming a bigger fool every day this went on…that stunt on the couch during Eric and Donna's standoff—he still wasn't sure what he'd been thinking. He hadn't been thinking. He'd been stupid, only saved himself by managing to piss her off so much she left.

He couldn't take it anymore.

It had to stop. She didn't want him, not really. She'd said as much that night on the Lincoln. She was just lonely and…bored, maybe, looking for a greater excitement than stealing dinner rolls could offer.

She was no better than Kat Peterson.

Hyde's chest felt crushed in a vise-like grip. It was true. Jackie was using him; she had to be. He should just use her right back. He hadn't had any problems taking advantage of Kat. Why should Jackie be any different?

She laughed at one of Fez's stupid jokes, and the sound reached inside Hyde, made him want to smile, to laugh.

She was mind-numbingly beautiful tonight. He wouldn't ever say such a thing to her; her ego was big enough already. But there was no use denying it to himself any longer.

He wanted her.

The light in her eyes when she looked at him promised he could have her. So why did he want to run in the other direction?

"Jackie, give me a ride home," Kelso whined.

"_No, _Michael."

"Come on, Jackie. You know, it's your fault I don't have a van anymore."

"You sank your own stupid van, _Michael_."

This was why, Hyde decided. Jackie was still Kelso's girl at heart, breakup or not, and Hyde wasn't going to dog his friend like that.

"Kelso, you still have the keys to Forman's car, don't you, man?"

Kelso shot him an irritated look. "I can't think about that awesome burn right now, _Hyde_. I have to figure out how I'm getting home. _God_."

His friend was so freakin' dumb. "Take the Cruiser, man."

Slowly, a grin stole over Kelso's face. "Oh man, this is the burn that never ends! Thanks, Hyde."

"Yes, thank you, Hyde," Fez added. "Now, I may ride home with Kelso and not have to walk past those evil bullies at the end of the street."

"You mean the kids in the playground?" Jackie asked.

"Ai! They are small, but they are vicious. They will take all my stolen dinner mints."

"No problem, little buddy," Kelso reassured him. "You can ride with me. But if we meet a chick, you'll have to hide in the back, so I can do it with her in Eric's car."

"Ooh, may I at least listen?"

Kelso blinked, then shrugged. "I don't see why not."

"What are we waiting for, brother? Let's find you a whore."

They were leaving. They were leaving him alone with Jackie. Jackie, who was staring at him in a way that left his mouth dry and his throat tight.

"Uh, wait!" he called, jumping to his feet. Kelso and Fez obediently stopped at the door. "I, uh, I think I'd better stay the night at your house, Fez. Forman's going to be pissed when he gets home."

He saw Jackie's face fall, saw the hurt enter her eyes, but forced himself to ignore it as he walked past her. He was finally doing the smart thing, getting away before she could hurt him. Er, before they both hurt Kelso. That's what he meant. Yes.

"Does this mean there will be no whores?" Fez pouted as the three guys left Jackie alone in the basement.


	65. Radio Daze

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** hints of Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episode ficlet

**Radio Daze**

"Michael! What are you doing here?" Jackie demanded as soon as she entered the basement.

"Uh, listening to Jerry Thunder."

Jackie crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "I thought I made it clear you were to come to my house as soon as you got your stupid car."

"Yeah, but, Jackie, I didn't get my stupid car."

"Then what's that car I saw on my way down here?"

"Hyde's stupid car," Kelso griped.

For the first time since she walked in, Jackie looked at Hyde. He smirked back at her.

"You bought Michael's car?"

"Nope. Leo gave it to me. It was a great burn; you should have seen it."

"Whatever. I want my money back, Michael," Jackie demanded, hand outstretched.

"But, Jackie, what if I see something else I really want, like another car…or a rubber ball!"

"Give it back, Michael, or I'll have Daddy sue you."

Kelso obediently pulled the rumpled check out of his pocket. "_Fine!_ But just so you know, I won't be your love slave now."

"Michael, you were never going to be my love slave. Now, go upstairs and get me a Coke."

"Unh!" Kelso protested. Jackie kept glaring at him until he turned and stomped up the stairs. "This is the worst day EVER."

Chuckling, Hyde lifted his feet onto the table. He leaned back with his hands behind his head. "This is the best day ever."


	66. Donna's Panties

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A missing scene.

**Donna's Panties**

She was so confused. Finding out Laurie cheated on Michael felt like vindication, getting a piece of her pride back. Jackie had spent the night envisioning all the ways she was going to rub it in Michael's unfaithful face. Then he came to her, broken and honest, and finally—_finally_—understanding what it was he had done to her.

In that one moment, the wall she built in her heart the day she caught him kissing Laurie came crashing down. Suddenly, Jackie remembered all the reasons she had ever loved him; his sweetness, his adoration, his beautiful smile, and his simple love.

The fond memories made her uncomfortable. Jackie felt guilty, like she was the one cheating. A ridiculous emotion when she had not been on a date in months. Not since…

_Steven_.

She honestly didn't know what relationship existed between her and Steven anymore. There had been a push-pull dynamic ever since that Veteran's Day date, alternately drawing each other in and shoving one another away. Jackie didn't know what Steven expected or wanted from her. That unsettled her much more than these resurrected feelings for Michael.

_One way or another_, Jackie decided, _I am going to get some closure tonight. _She ran all the way from the Pinciottis' kitchen to the Formans' basement, chocolate rioting madly in her stomach.

As she'd expected, Steven—and Steven alone—sat in front of the television. Although she was surprised to see him on the couch, not his chair. Jackie threw herself down next to him.

_Steven, what's going on with us?_ was what she wanted to say, but somehow, "Michael apologized to me," came out instead.

Hyde said nothing, didn't even glance in her direction.

"Steven, did you hear me? Michael apologized for cheating on me with Laurie."

"Jackie, I don't give a crap. I'm watching my show."

"Since when is _The Waltons _your show?"

"Since it became the only alternative to your voice," Hyde snarled.

Jackie drew back. Contrasted with Michael's endearing penance, Steven seemed, well, _mean_. "You mean you don't care?" she asked, her words a disbelieving whisper.

"About your and Kelso's fruity merry-go-round of a relationship?" Hyde laughed; the sound burned in Jackie's ears. "Why should I?"

Steven's words were well-chosen arrows; Jackie knew that. She maybe even suspected they were lies to cover his own hurt. But she was starting to think it wasn't worth the effort. It shouldn't be a constant battle to make someone admit they cared about her. Especially when there was someone else who loved her—someone she loved, in a way—who was so much easier to handle.

"Goodbye, Steven," she said as she stood and walked toward the door.

Part of her wished he would say or do something to stop her, but he never did. He never would. As she pulled the basement door shut behind her, Jackie wondered if this was closure.


	67. Romantic Weekend

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Hyde/Other; allusions to Kelso/Other, Jackie/Kelso; hints of Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary: **A 200-word double drabble. Post-ep.

**Romantic Weekend**

"Hey, Hyde."

Hyde grunted a response, not moving his eyes from his magazine.

"You busy?"

"Depends. What else is offering?"

"Me."

He looked up then, took in Pam Macy from her bleached-blonde hair to her skin-tight sweater to her fire-engine red toenails. Pam was a slut, and everyone knew it. Hyde also knew she was desperate for some satisfaction after her humiliating encounters with Kelso this week. She would have hit on any guy she found in the Hub today; the fact that he was Kelso's friend was just an added bonus, as far as she was concerned.

It was disgusting. Almost as disgusting as Jackie's face when she looked at Kelso lately.

Hyde's gut twisted. It was happening all over again; she was going to take the dumbass back, then come crying to Hyde every time Kelso acted like the moronic horndog he was.

"Hyde?" Pam tapped her foot impatiently, awaiting his answer.

"Sure. Why not?" Hyde grabbed his keys and followed Pam out of the Hub.

It had been too long since he'd gotten any; that was the problem. A brazen, curvy blonde was just the thing to wipe Jackie Burkhart from his brain forever.


	68. Kitty's Birthday That's Today!

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairing:** Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A 100-word missing scene drabble

**Kitty's Birthday (That's Today!?)**

Caroline was crazy, Mrs. Forman was pissed, and Kelso was a girl. Hyde had never been so glad to be single.

Cruisin' for chicks, casual sex, these were the hallmarks of Hyde's generation, the privileges of youth—and having a car.

He surveyed various girls as he drove. Some were foxy. Some sent him flirtatious smiles as he passed.

Only one caught his eye. Walking away from him, red beret flashing cheerily against her dark hair. Hips twisted in a womanish way, contrasted by bouncy steps. She flipped her hair, turned her head.

Jackie's eyes caught his.

Hyde sped past.


	69. The Trials of Michael Kelso

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episode ficlet.

**The Trials of Michael Kelso**

"You're, like, the most perfect girl ever," Kelso sighed, resting his chin in his hands as he stared dreamily at Jackie.

Jackie blushed, while she applied ice to Eric's eye. "Oh, Michael, stop it," she twittered, including a dismissive hand gesture intended to keep the compliments coming.

"Yes, _Michael,_ stop it," Hyde griped. He sat in his chair, waiting his turn for first aid, and forced to witness the sickening spectacle that was a reunited Kelso and Jackie.

"Shut up, Steven." Jackie didn't turn around, didn't meet Hyde's eyes—not even to glare at him. She had not looked at him once since he stumbled in, beaten and disheveled, with Eric and Fez.

Hyde wished he could quit looking at her. Jackie was glowing, radiant with happiness. Kelso was glued to her side, so besotted he could equate Jackie dispensing Band-aids to curing polio. The whole thing made Hyde want to hurl.

He had been expecting this for weeks—months—now. Kelso was the one Jackie really loved, and Kelso had finally gotten bored with whoring around and realized how much better off he was with her. Kelso and Jackie made sense. The beautiful couple, high school fantasy.

Didn't mean Hyde had to enjoy the show.

And it didn't explain why walking into the basement and finding Jackie in Kelso's arms had felt akin to Fort Anderson's girls' field hockey captain's stick crashing into Hyde's solar plexus.

Whatever. Jackie and Kelso were inevitable. Now that the inevitable had happened, Hyde could let it go. Get over this stupid…whatever…with Jackie and return to the life he knew. A different girl every week—every night, if he could manage it—and no worries, no responsibility, no…

"Okay, Steven, your turn." Jackie approached him. Her smile lit her whole being; her eyes sparkled with joy and love. None of it had anything to do with him.

"Let me see that cut on your forehead." Jackie pushed back the curls from his face to get a clearer look. Her fingers burned more than the gash. "This needs disinfecting."

Hyde swatted her hand away and stood. "Don't worry about it. I'll get Mrs. Forman to look at it later."

Jackie frowned, the first break in her bliss. "You're sure? It won't take me long to—"

"I'm sure. Besides, if I have to listen to Kelso mooning over you another minute, someone's really going to need a trip to the hospital."

"Hey! I'm not mooning. I just can't help it if Jackie's the most beautiful, wonderful—"

"I'm outta here." Hyde hoped he projected his usual Zen, overlaid by a mild air of disgust, but he couldn't worry about the impression left on his friends. He needed out of the basement. Now. Pulling his keys from his pocket, Hyde rattled them as he walked toward the door.

"Steven."

He cursed himself for stopping, for turning, for daring to meet those damn sparkling eyes of hers.

"You really should get those cuts cleaned, before they get infected. I wouldn't want you hurt."

Hyde waited until he was safely in the Camino before laughing at the irony.


	70. Eric's Naughty NoNo

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episode ficlet.

**Eric's Naughty No-No**

"Why'd you do it, Steven?" The angry words left Jackie's mouth even before the basement door slammed shut behind her.

Hyde didn't look up from Forman's latest edition of _Spiderman_. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Jackie yanked the comic out of his hands and tossed it on the table. "That list was your idea. You wanted Michael to tell me those awful things. You're trying to destroy our love!"

"Oh, give me a break." Hyde stood, matching her fury with his growing irritation. "I never pass up a chance to watch Kelso be an idiot. You just can't handle the fact that not everything is about you."

"I'm not talking about everything. I'm talking about you, and I'm talking about _this_."

"And I'm telling you to get over yourself."

Intimidating steps had wiped out the distance between them. They stood toe-to-toe in front of Forman's broken, ratty, old couch. As he looked down at Jackie's flushed face and flashing eyes, Hyde wished anger was the only emotion causing the blood to pump hard and fast through his veins.

"So it's just a coincidence that a week after I take Michael back, you're trying to break us up?"

"You're the one who told Kelso the truth was a good thing. All I did was put a pen in his hand."

Slowly, the rage left Jackie's expression. She took a step back, shaking her head. "It's not going to work, Steven. I love Michael, and he loves me, and we are going to make it work this time."

Hyde snorted.

"You don't believe me?"

"Sure I do. Just make sure you leave room for the houseful of dogs and the lipstick stains on his collar in your perfect life, doll."

Jackie's always expressive face contorted with hurt and disgust. "Why must you be so hateful?"

"Why must you be so stupid?" Hyde regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. He meant her stupid, willful blindness about Kelso, but it would not sound like that to Jackie.

It didn't. Jackie whirled and marched back up the stairs without another word.

"Shit." Half a breath later, Hyde followed her.

When he threw open the door, Jackie was still standing at the top of the stairs. Hyde took the stairs in four large steps and found what had halted her. Kelso was rolling around the Formans' driveway with half a dozen neighborhood dogs.

Hyde snickered.

"Don't say a word," Jackie said through clenched teeth. Turning her back on both Hyde and Kelso, she walked away.


	71. Holy Craps

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** mildly implied Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episodic 200-word double drabble.

**Holy Craps**

"Where's Michael?"

Hyde chuckled. "I kicked his ass at Rock-'Em-Sock-'Em Robots, so he went home."

"Just because of this stupid game?" Jackie sat in Michael's vacated chair and surveyed the red and blue plastic figures.

"This is not a 'stupid game,' Jackie. This is a complex test of hand-eye coordination in which only the fittest survives."

"It doesn't look so hard. I just pull these levers here, right? To make him punch." She smiled as a fist connected and the blue robot's head sprang up.

"Yeah, well, it's easy when no one's controlling the other robot."

"So control it."

Hyde leaned forward, looking intense. "Are you sure, Jackie? You might want to start off easy—play Kelso."

Jackie rolled her eyes. Honestly, boys took their games way too seriously. "Let's just play." She put her hands to the red buttons, Hyde put his to the blue, and the game began.

"Beginner's luck," Hyde mumbled the first time his robot lost its head.

The blue head popped up six times in succession before Jackie stood up with a shrug. "I told you. Robots are stupid. I'm going home." She hid her grin until her back was turned.


	72. Fez Dates Donna

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episodic 200-word double drabble.

**Fez Dates Donna**

She was right to take Michael back. These past weeks with him had been something out of a fairy tale. Jackie had never been so happy, so much in love.

She would still be living that dream if not for Steven. First, he made Michael confess everything with that stupid list; then, he'd started a pool betting against their continued happiness.

Jackie knew why Hyde was behaving this way, of course. It was retaliation for her reconciling with Michael.

After the list, she had tried to confront Steven about it, but it hadn't done any good. All the things she wanted to say were choked by her desire to bury everything related to those strange months with Steven.

Jackie had been convinced she was in love with Steven, but she understood now. It had been merely a detour on her road back to Michael.

Michael was the man she was meant to be with. She had loved him since she was six years old; he was the only man she would ever love. They were soulmates.

And if Steven would just accept that, if he would quit taunting her with Michael's shortcomings, maybe she could finally make herself believe it.


	73. Eric's Drunken Tattoo

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episodic ficlet.

**Eric's Drunken Tattoo**

Stupid Eric. He just had to go and stupidly read Donna's stupid journal. Now it was only a matter of time before Michael tried to find Jackie's diary. Her normal hiding spot—amongst her stuffed animals, second row back, under the third unicorn—wouldn't be good enough anymore. After all the _Nancy Drew _she'd read him, Michael would be a thorough snoop.

Jackie's gaze roved over her room without success. In desperation, she turned to her closet and smiled as she found the perfect place. Michael would never be capable of looking through a pile of old math notebooks. Jackie could hide her diary right in the middle of them.

She put her diary on the floor next to her before using both arms to pull out a large portion of the notebook stack. She had underestimated their weight, and the top of the pile went tumbling down to the floor.

"Stupid Eric," she mumbled as she stooped to pick them up. Clearly, this was still his fault.

One of the notebooks had fallen open to a page of doodles. From all across the blue ruled lines, _Jackie & Steven 4Ever,_ _Dr. and Mrs. Steven Hyde,_ and _Mrs. Jackie Hyde_ stared up at her, accompanied by random hearts and flowers.

Jackie flushed at the visual reminder of her own folly. "That was last year," she huffed as she quickly shut the notebook. "I was still so immature then, and...and on the rebound, and...and not thinking straight."

After throwing that particular notebook in the trash, she finished piling up the fallen books. She laid them outside her closet and turned to grab her diary. It, too, had fallen open when she dropped it, and she couldn't resist taking a peek.

_I still can't believe I was ever immature enough to like Michael. He's so stupid and selfish. Not like my Steven. Today, Steven took my side against Michael's in a fight about Michael's stupid van. He's always doing things like that. It's how I know he loves me. And it just makes me love him so much, that way he shows me without having to say it—how even when he's in denial, he's still proving his love. God, I have never been this in love before._

Once again, Jackie could feel the blood heating her cheeks. There was an odd pricking in her eyes as well that she forced away. "It's nothing. It didn't mean anything," she whispered. She closed the diary with a snap and threw it into her closet.

"Nothing at all."

With an angry heave, she covered over her old diary with the math notebooks. There it could lie buried until the end of time, as far as Jackie was concerned.

"Anyway, diaries are stupid." She slammed her closet door shut.


	74. Canadian Road Trip

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** mildly implied Jackie/Hyde, Jackie/Kelso  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episodic 100-word drabble.

**Canadian Road Trip**

"Steven, do you think I could be a model?" Jackie tossed her hair and threw in a come-hither pout for good measure.

"No." Hyde didn't see the look. He didn't turn his head away from the television screen.

"Why not? And don't say I'm not hot enough, because I've _seen_ me."

"You're too short."

"Huh?"

"Models are tall. You have to wear those big-ass platforms just to not be mistaken for a midget."

"Oh, what do you know? You probably think _Donna_ could be a model."

"Nah."

"Right? Because of that giant lumberjack body of hers."

"No, because she actually has a brain."

"I knew I should have asked Michael."


	75. Backstage Pass

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, hinted Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG-13**  
Summary: **A missing scene.  
**Note: **I'm sorry about the delay in these next drabble! Unfortunately, I can't promise it will be better anytime soon. I've got family coming and trips I'm taking all bunched up together in the next month or so. I'll try to update when I can, and hopefully I'll be back to weekly updates by late April/early May. Thanks again for all your support of this story and the kindest reviews I've ever gotten!

**Backstage Pass**

Jackie tried to tell herself she was delaying her second first time with Michael because she wanted it to be perfect—and that was at least partly true, after her horrible _first_ first time—but part of her wondered if that was the full reason.

She and Michael had been apart for over a year. In the interim, he had slept with almost every girl she knew; she had made love with no one. Jackie tried not to let that bother her. Michael was an adolescent boy; of course sex was a higher priority for him than for her. He had to get those "wild oat" days out of his system and better he did it while they were apart than ever cheat on her again.

But...

_But. _Jackie wasn't sure she trusted Michael enough to take him back into her bed. After all the lies, and the other women, and the lives they led apart, it would almost seem like...going backward.

And the truth was she didn't really _want_ to have sex with Michael. Sex with Michael was...well, it was fine. But it had never been "magical," and she wasn't even sure their week-long tribute to romance would make it so. However, Michael had been good, and Michael had been patient, and if Michael would just love and adore her for the next week, then what the hell? She'd reward him.

She thought all these things as she sat, blindfolded, on the couch in Eric's basement, waiting for Michael's first surprise. Tonight, they were going to the Ted Nugent concert, which wasn't strictly part of their week of romance, but they had decided to pretend it was a date. In the meantime, Jackie had let Michael know spoiling her was to begin immediately.

"Hey, Jackie, that gag is a little high; want me to put it over your mouth instead?" The snide comment was accompanied by Steven's hands touching the scarf around her eyes.

Jackie swatted his fingers away, refusing to acknowledge the twinge in her stomach the moment his hand brushed her skin. "Leave it, Steven. Michael's bringing me a surprise."

"Oh yeah? Probably a puppy."

Horror seized her as she realized Hyde could be right. "It's not a puppy," she tried to reassure herself. "Michael wouldn't do that to me. It's supposed to be something romantic."

"To Kelso, a puppy is romantic."

Jackie slapped her hands on the couch in frustration. "Romantic to _me_, Steven."

"Jeez, why is Kelso still kissing your butt? You've been back together for over a month; you must have given him some by now."

Hot blood filled Jackie's cheeks. "Of course _you_ would think the only reason a man woos a woman would be for sex."

"Uh huh." She could hear Hyde's derision. "And I'm sure Kelso's doing this out of the overflowing love in his heart, right?"

"Yes," she hissed.

"And you didn't tell him he had to?"

Jackie turned her head, as though to avoid Steven's too-knowing gaze, before realizing he couldn't see through her blindfold and raising her chin defiantly. "Who cares if I did? Why does it even matter to you?"

"I'm offended on behalf of all mankind when I see someone as whipped as Kelso."

"Oh, I suppose you think pretending not to give a damn while sitting in your stupid chair hiding behind your dumb sunglasses is going to win a woman's heart."

"Maybe not. But you don't see me wading through crepe paper and Hallmark cards just to get laid, either, doll."

Jackie jumped to her feet. "Ugh! You're disgusting, Steven Hyde! I can't imagine _what_ I ever saw in you. I'm going home." She took two steps forward, before stubbing her toe on Eric's chair.

"OW!" She pulled down her blindfold, hopping up and down on one foot, waiting for the pain to lessen.

Hyde laughed at her. Hyde _laughed_ at _her_.

Jackie opened her mouth to lash out at him, when the door opened and Michael walked in—carrying a dozen, long-stemmed red roses.

"Baby, are you all right?" he asked, rushing to her side.

She blinked up at her tall, beautiful boyfriend, tears of pain and anger blurring her vision. Michael loved her; it was so apparent. He had grown, and he had changed. He had brought her roses, instead of a puppy. He was different, so different from...other people. So much more romantic than...other people.

"I'm fine, Michael. Thank you." Jackie stretched up on tiptoes to give him a long, gentle kiss.

She wasn't going to make him wait a week.


	76. The Promise Ring

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, hints of Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A 200-word missing scene double drabble.

**The Promise Ring**

Jackie ran into the basement, grinning. Her pink wool coat was tightly wrapped to ward off the chill; her cheeks were rosy from cold and excitement.

Hyde hated himself for noticing.

Especially when the first words out of her mouth were, "Where's Michael?"

"Somewhere else. Why don't you join him?"

Disregarding his less-than-subtle hint, Jackie plopped down on the couch. "He's giving me a promise ring. I know. Fez told me. You don't have to hide it."

"I never cared enough to hide it."

"Come on, Steven, this is a big step for me and Michael. I mean, a _promise_ ring. That's like, a promise there will be an engagement ring someday, and then a wedding ring. It's a whole domino effect with JEWELRY."

Her greedy anticipation was nauseating. Hyde had to bring her back to earth.

"Yeah, it's the first shackle to bind you to life as a future Kelso. You know, eight kids, a dozen dogs, no money, working to support him. Good luck with that."

Jackie's smile faded into a worried frown. It didn't bring Hyde the satisfaction he expected. "Steven, do you—"

"Gotta go. Cruisin' for chicks with Fez."

Hyde left her behind. Jackie would recover her fantasy more quickly without his harsh reality.


	77. It's a Wonderful Life

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Hyde/Donna, Hyde/Jackie, past Kelso/Jackie, hints of Eric/Donna  
**Rating:** PG-13/R (language)  
**Summary: **There were things about that alternate life that the angel didn't show Eric.

**Author's Notes: **Yes, it's true. An actual update. So here's what happened: I love alternate universes, and when it came time to write a missing scene for "It's a Wonderful Life," I developed an entire decade spanning Jackie/Hyde romance that fit within the confines of the AU. The problem is a quarter of the way through writing it, I got stuck. And stayed stuck. So, finally, I have decided, screw it. This is the beginning of what may one day turn into its own story, but as it stands fills a gap in the alternate timeline where Donna never kissed Eric. And now that I've let it go for now, I'm finally writing more outtakes again. So look for more regular updates in the future. Thank you all for your kind reviews and your patience!

**It's A Wonderful Life**

The problem with being a dropout teenager living on your own is that you still need money, or so Hyde was discovering, much to his dismay. When his mom ditched him, it hurt...for approximately five seconds, until he buried it deep enough he would never have to deal with it again.

Donna found out and immediately went into action. She helped him clean the house—it hadn't been all bad; sex on the washing machine at the laundromat had made up for a hell of a lot—and make the first month's rent. But she was adamant about him finding a job, some way to support himself in the future.

Chicks, man. They had all these expectations. Especially Donna. She had her own rebellious streak, something he encouraged every chance he got, but she still had certain standards she wanted met.

The sex was what made Hyde willing to meet them. That and the fact that she was his chick. Hyde's girl. Donna was the only thing in his life that was steady, that meant something. She was his constant, and he wasn't going to jeopardize that for anything.

So working for the man, it was.

Point Place was not the most happening town. There were few enough jobs to be had by qualified adults—especially with the factory closing—let alone lazy, uninspired burnouts like Hyde. But Hyde had on occasion been forced to earn some cash by mowing lawns in summer or shoveling driveways in winter. If he put a little effort into it, went door to door, got a steady customer base, he could earn at least enough to get by for a while doing that, and still reserve half his days to do what he did best: absolutely nothing.

It went against his grain, though, to walk up to the perfect houses on the good side of town and make nice with all those fatass business tyrants. The upper middle class was everything Hyde raged against and wanted to abolish, and here he was acting like it would be such a freakin' favor if they let him cut their grass.

He only got through it by reminding himself that the revolution was coming.

Hyde was on his fifth—and final, he'd decided—lawn when his day got even worse. Working for the Burkharts was bad enough; he'd taken comfort in the fact that Jackie was still in school. But the Burkharts' lawn was on a slope; it had taken longer than he'd thought to finish.

Jackie came home.

Hyde hadn't seen Jackie Burkhart since Kelso told her he was taking Pam Macy to the prom. That was apparently the final straw for Jackie. No more hanging out in Forman's basement—not that Hyde spent much time there himself these days—no more annoying Donna with her unwanted presence. She hadn't even shown up to prom. Hyde's life had been Jackie-free for almost a month now, and that was just the way he liked it.

When he saw her walking up the driveway, schoolbooks tucked tightly against her chest, head hanging uncharacteristically low, looking more miserable than a spoiled, pampered cheerleader princess had any right to look, he turned the lawnmower away. Hopefully, she wouldn't recognize him. Even if she did, there was no reason she should talk to him anymore. After all, she had always hated him; the only bond between them had been Kelso, and that was severed clean through.

"Hey, Hyde!"

She really was the loudest person he'd ever met. Only Jackie Burkhart could be heard over the motor of a lawn mower without seeming to shout.

Hyde nodded in her direction, jerking his head toward the eighth of a lawn left to mow.

"Take a break. Come have something to drink."

Hyde was stunned. He turned to her, mouth hanging open. Was Jackie...was Jackie being _nice_? Jackie was never nice. But he _was_ thirsty, so..."Sure," he shrugged, turning off the roar of the machine.

Much to his surprise, Jackie walked beside him up to the house. "Not the front door," she said quickly as they neared it. "I don't want you getting my beautiful house all dirty."

_There_ was the Jackie Burkhart he knew.

"Where do you suggest I go, the servants' entrance?"

Jackie rolled her eyes, as she led him to the back of the house. "The kitchen door, of course."

"Servants' entrance," Hyde coughed into his hand.

"Well, the only servant is Maria, and she's the one who knows where the drinks are, so you'd have ended up here anyway. Besides, I'm trying to be nice to you. Don't ruin it." Jackie entered the kitchen with a petulant flounce of her hair.

Maria was the Burkharts' Hispanic housekeeper. Middle-aged and pleasantly overweight, she looked up from the stove as they entered. Her face flashed for only a second with scorn as her eyes landed on Jackie, before concealing her reaction behind an expressionless mask.

Hyde liked her immediately.

"What can I do for you, Miss Burkhart?"

"I'm thirsty. So is Hyde." Jackie waved dismissively at him, while she pulled herself onto a stool by the kitchen counter. "Get us some lemonade."

Once again, annoyance passed over Maria's face. "We're out of lemonade, Miss Burkhart."

"So make some," Jackie said, like it was the most obvious solution in the world.

"Water would be fine, thanks," Hyde rushed to say. "If you show me where the glasses are, I could help myself." His eyes drifted over the many white cabinet doors. He could be looking for a week.

Maria flashed him a grateful smile. "It's no trouble at all, Mr. ...?"

"Hyde. No 'mister.'"

"Hyde." Maria turned to an overhead cabinet by the sink and pulled out a tinted green glass.

"I guess water's fine for me, too," Jackie sulked. She threw her books down on the counter and then pulled out the stool next to her. "Come here, Hyde. Let's talk."

"Yeah, no. I need to finish up the lawn and meet Donna at the Hub."

Jackie's eyes flashed. Everything about her seemed to go on alert. "Donna? How is Donna?"

"She's fine, I guess. She's—"

"Does she miss me? She must, right? I mean, I'm her best friend."

Hyde was glad he hadn't taken a drink yet. As it was, his hand nearly slipped as he took the glass from Maria. Jackie? Donna's best friend? One of the best things about not having Jackie around anymore was not having to listen to Donna complain about how Jackie wouldn't leave her the hell alone.

"Donna's cool," was the only answer he could think to give. He added on a belated thanks to Maria for the water.

Jackie took hers without a word of gratitude, or even so much as a look in Maria's direction. "Oh." She deflated again, but soon rallied, pulling her shoulders back, and meeting Hyde's gaze squarely. "How about Michael? I mean, I know he took Pam Macy to the prom, but that couldn't have lasted, right?"

Hyde shrugged. "I haven't seen her since."

Jackie perked up at that, a triumphant smile crossing her face. It annoyed him, so Hyde added, "'Course Kelso's been so busy, it's hard to keep track. What with Kat Peterson, and Sally Davenport, and Lauren Mills."

Tears sparked in those mismatched eyes before Jackie's ducked head could hide them. Hyde felt a sudden wave of guilt. He didn't need to tell her that, even if it was true. Whatever. It was Jackie's own fault for trying to make him gossip.

Hyde drained the rest of his drink, then set the glass down with a crash. "Thanks again for the water, Maria. Bye, Jackie." He stomped out of the room and didn't look back.

--

Strangely, that wasn't the last time Jackie invited him in. Once a week, Hyde returned to the Burkharts to care for their lawn; any time Jackie happened to be there, he could count on her to show up at his elbow at some point.

He would have found it weird, except it was clear her interest was only in Kelso. She wanted to know what he was up to, who he was with. Hyde wondered why she didn't just ask her cheerleader friends, as he was pretty sure the list of Kelso's conquests was well-known in Point Place High School. But then, he figured Jackie didn't want to let anyone who mattered know that she was still crazy about Kelso.

Hyde had long ago accepted the fact that he didn't matter at all.

That was fine by him. He told Jackie what she wanted to know, short and to the point, but without the hard edge of triumph as that first day. If she was really so in love with the doofus, there was no need to rub salt in the wound. So long as he answered her questions, she kept her pestering to a minimum.

The main reason he put up with it was that Jackie's questions meant an invitation to the Burkharts' kitchen. He was usually parched by that point in the day, and the drinks—lemonade, iced tea, water—were appreciated. But he liked the chance to see Maria more.

Maria was cool. If Jackie left, she would often amuse Hyde and relieve herself by ranting against the spoiled princess or Jackie's apparently even more atrocious mother. She wasn't above sharing a joint, either, or—if Hyde's other sources were nowhere to be found—selling him some of her stash.

He had been working for the Burkharts for several months, and mowing the lawn had turned into raking the leaves when Jackie caught Hyde and Maria lighting up. She stepped into the pristine white room, demanding, "Maria, where are my—" and stopped short upon finding Hyde and Maria sitting on their floor, backs against the cabinets under the sink.

"Shit," was all Maria said. She took another drag and passed the joint back to Hyde, without taking her eyes off Jackie.

"What do you think you're doing? You can't smoke that stuff in here! I'll tell Daddy, and he'll have you both fired for this!"

Hyde rose to his feet in an instant. Maybe longer. The ground had become rather unsteady since he last stood upon it. He wasn't worried about himself; one lame job wasn't worth the trouble. But it was all Maria had. "Jackie, relax." He laid calming hands upon her shoulders. "It's just weed."

"It's _illegal_."

"You're wound way too tight, you know that? That's why Kelso moved on. He wanted girls who knew how to be cool."

Jackie's bottom lip protruded in a wavering pout. "Really? That's why Michael didn't...?"

"Didn't what?" Hyde's mind had difficulty following her words. He was more focused on watching the smoke rising from the joint in his hand. All that precious smoke disappearing without any benefit to anybody...

"Love me," Jackie whispered, as though her pain was a huge secret. As though anyone who met her couldn't see it.

"Oh, that. Yep. Kelso told me himself; he just needed someone who wasn't so uptight, such a square."

"I am _not_ uptight," Jackie said, with a new touch of defiance. She plucked the joint out of Hyde's hand and took a quick drag on it. The effect was ruined, however, when she immediately bent over hacking and gagging. "That stuff is awful."

Hyde grinned. "You'll get used to it."

--

And that was how Hyde's new Circle was formed.

It was funny. He and Donna still lit up together, or sometimes he and the guys would hit it, but the gang as a unit had collapsed right around the time Jackie left it.

That wasn't true, he knew. The fatal blow had been when he kissed Donna, even knowing Forman liked her. Eric was a good friend, good enough not to hate Hyde for it, but the closeness they had shared since they were kids in the bath together was gone now.

Hyde didn't like to think about that. It was easier to blame the fallout on other things, like his mom leaving, and him quitting school. Or on Jackie.

But now he had a weekly Circle with Point Place's snobbiest cheerleader and the housekeeper who hated her. Life was bizarre, man.

"Life is bizarre, man."

Jackie took the joint from him and inhaled deeply. She held the smoke in for a long moment before letting it out. It shouldn't have been sexy; it never was when Kelso did it. But Jackie's lips would purse the slightest bit as the smoke flitted back through, and Hyde couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Life sucks, Hyde," was her response as she passed the joint to Maria. "You love a guy, he dumps you—"

"You dumped him," Hyde reminded her.

"Whatever. The point is life is never good again." Suddenly, Jackie's gloom drifted away. "Except during Circle time. I love Circle time. And I love you." She beamed at Maria.

Maria rolled her eyes. "Okay. Then _you_ make _me_ a sandwich for a change."

"Man, a sandwich sounds good," Hyde mused.

Jackie sniffled. "Michael loves sandwiches."

"So do I," Maria huffed. "Make me one."

"Have I told you guys about this car that runs on water? It runs on water, man!"

--

Hyde found another job, working at the FotoHut for an awesome dude named Leo. He thought for a while about quitting the lawn service but decided the extra cash couldn't hurt, and it wasn't so much extra work.

It didn't have anything to do with Jackie. Not a damn thing.

--

"Sometimes, I don't know what they want from me," Jackie mused as she lay on the kitchen floor beside Hyde.

It was just the two of them. Maria was out sick, so their Circle had become a side-by-side. The normally white ceiling had started sparkling—Jackie was sure of it—and somehow they found themselves lying next to one another, eating marshmallows as their high slipped away.

"Parents?" Hyde asked, mouth full of gooey sugar.

Jackie nodded, dark hair shifting against the white tile. "Cheerleading's for my mom, but do you know the last time she came to one of my pep rallies? Never. I'm taking extra classes, you know; I'm going to graduate in three years—that's for Daddy. He never notices. It's all daiquiris by the pool for Mom, and golf at the club for Daddy."

Hyde shrugged. "Whatever. Who needs 'em?"

"You only say that because you haven't got any." Jackie could still sting when necessary.

Hyde struck back the best way he knew how. "Kelso's sleeping with Laurie Forman."

Jackie sat up; red, dilated eyes struggled to focus. "He's WHAT!?"

"You heard me."

She raised her knees and let her head fall against them. Her hair provided a shroud, but Hyde could tell from her shaking shoulders that she was crying. Hesitantly, he reached out a hand to rest against her back. She was so tiny; his hand, from wrist to fingertips, nearly spanned the width of her.

"Come on, Jackie. Cut it out. He's not worth it."

"I know," she mumbled, raising her head slightly and wiping at her runny nose and wet cheeks with the back of her arm. "I know. I just...God, I don't know. I thought maybe if he went through all the sluts at our school, he might come to his senses and realize that _I'm_ the one he's supposed to be with. But now...now, he's moving on to _college dropout sluuuuuuuts_."

She was wailing again. Worse, she threw her arms around Hyde's neck, so she was now crying on _him_, getting her snot all over his shirt.

He cleared his throat. "You know, I really should finish the lawn. I have to meet Donna at four, and it's..." He glanced at the clock on the wall. "Five-ten." Good thing Donna knew never to expect him on time. And good thing Donna knew better than to cry all over him. Damn, this was embarrassing.

Jackie pulled away, still sniffling. "I'm sorry, Hyde. I just...this is it. This is it. I am finally done with him. Done." She wiped viciously at the last remaining teardrops on her cheeks, then forced a brave smile. "Thank you."

"I didn't do anything." Didn't even run for the hills, and he'd really wanted to do that.

"You were there for me. You've been there for me, for a while, Hyde, and I want to let you know I appreciate it, is all."

Her arms were still wrapped around his neck, her blotchy face and puffy eyes close to his...far too close, far too appealing in their vulnerability. Hyde felt himself being pulled in by that weakness, that need, that longing for someone to love. Those pouty lips that begged him, begged him to...

"Please," she whispered, as though reading his thoughts, and her lips painted his with the word.

He kissed her, fisted his hands in her hair and her shirt, and kissed her so deeply they could both drown in it. She was so small, so young, such an intoxicating mixture of inexperience and eagerness. She opened her mouth beneath his, let him have her, take her, teach her.

Somewhere in the back of his drug-numbed mind, a warning sounded. Hyde tried to silence it, to ignore his conscience in this heady thrill of Jackie warm and trembling against him. But again he heard it...

"Donna," he whispered, as his lips parted from Jackie for needed air.

Jackie yanked out of his arms, her hand going to her mouth in horror. She wiped away the evidence of their kiss from her lips. "Oh God, Steven, I'm so sorry! I forgot...I didn't think about...I'm sorry."

She was taking all the guilt for the kiss onto herself. He should stop that, should tell her it wasn't her fault, he'd been dreaming of kissing her like that for months. But he didn't. He wouldn't have kissed her, if she hadn't asked him, he rationalized. Dreams were just dreams, and he loved Donna. Always had, always would.

"It's cool," he said coldly, as he stood. He swiped his shades off the kitchen counter where he'd left them and headed for the door. "It was just a kiss."

--

Hyde meant to tell Donna about the kiss, but he couldn't quite find the way to say it. He had never mentioned his trips inside the Burkhart mansion, nor the addition of Jackie to his Circle compatriots. He hadn't been hiding it from her; it had just never seemed important.

He wished he had told her everything as it happened. If he told her about the kiss now, Donna would wonder why he hadn't mentioned Jackie earlier, and she would start reading all kinds of crazy things into it. Chicks were paranoid that way.

So he kept the kiss to himself, too. After all, it would never happen again. Jackie would quit inviting him into the house; if she didn't, Hyde would quit accepting. He could get something to drink at The Hub after his yard work, and he had plenty of Circle time without his weekly joint at the Burkharts.

These reassuring thoughts couldn't stop the prickling at the back of his neck when he went to shovel snow at the Burkharts. He dove into his work, clearing the walkway twice as fast as usual. He wasn't trying to avoid Jackie. It was just so freaking cold; he wanted to finish and get home as soon as possible.

Jackie had nothing to do with it.

"Hey, Steven."

Hyde jumped, and the snow went flying. He turned to see Jackie dripping with snow over her pink, wool jacket. "Sorry," he muttered.

Jackie swiped snowflakes from her shoulders. "Don't worry about it. Maria's back, so she can press it for me. Are you coming in?" Jackie's cheeks were bright red; Hyde couldn't decide whether it was from cold or embarrassment. Either way, it was much more attractive than it should be. As were the wisps of steam exiting her mouth with each exhale into the icy air.

God, he wanted to...

"No, thanks. I'm just going to finish up here and head home." Hyde turned away and forced himself to lift another shovelful of snow. _Ignore her, just ignore her._ He willed himself not to see her fleecy brown boots.

"You sure? Maria could fix us some hot chocolate."

Hyde's mouth watered, and he was bitterly aware of his own jacket's threadbare state. _Donna_, his pesky conscience insisted.

He grunted out a no.

"Oh. All right." He could hear the disappointment in Jackie's voice and hated the way it pulled at something inside him. He kept his eyes glued to the icy sidewalk; he couldn't look into those sad, lost eyes of hers.

"Oh!" Jackie's tone changed completely. She was all bubbly energy and excitement. "I'm having a party next Friday night. My parents are out of town, and the whole school is invited. You should come." A slight hesitation, before she added in a painfully polite voice, "And bring Donna, of course."

Hyde shrugged, the muscles in his shoulders and back protesting the movement. He was tense; must be the cold, and the shoveling. "That's cool."

It wasn't cool. There wasn't a chance in hell he was going to Jackie's party, and he certainly wasn't bringing Donna.

--

"Come on, Hyde. What else are we supposed to do in Point Place on a Friday night?"

"Drink ourselves into a stupor?" Hyde suggested hopefully. He had never mentioned Jackie's party to Donna, but she heard about it at school and hadn't stopped bugging him about it since.

"We can do that at the party, too, only with someone else's beer."

"Why are you so into this? You hate Jackie."

"True, but I don't hate our friends. Do you?"

Hyde pulled Donna's arms off his neck and shrank away from her accusatory stare. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means, when was the last time we hung out in the basement? Or even met Eric at the Hub? We hardly ever see Fez anymore, and Kelso only shows up when he wants to light something on fire."

Pushing Donna off his lap and onto the couch beside him, Hyde stood. "I've been busy, is all. I have to work now, remember?"

"You don't have to work tonight, and the guys told me they were going. So let's go with them. Come on, it'll be fun. Just like old times."

Hyde shrugged his agreement. But he knew—and Donna knew, too, even if she wouldn't admit it—that the old times would never come again.

--

It took Hyde roughly two minutes to figure out why Jackie was throwing this party. Nothing could be further from her personality than the raucous kegger infecting every room of the Burkhart estate. She was out to prove something.

She was Jackie Burkhart, every man's dream, most popular girl in school. She was over Kelso, had never given a damn about him, and was going to parade that fact before all of Point Place.

To that end, she smiled constantly, laughed in an affected, stupid way, mingled with every clique, and flirted with every good-looking guy.

Hyde hated it. Every damn thing about her, from her look-at-me gold dress, to her ruby red lipstick, to her high platform heels. This whole act fooled him not a bit. He had seen her eyes fill with tears over that moron Kelso too many times to buy this woman of the world crap. He wanted to shake her until her teeth rattled.

Instead he kept his distance, glued himself to Donna's side, and didn't say a damn word to Jackie. He watched her though; behind his glasses, no one could tell where his eyes went. It was safe to observe her in this crowd. Especially as Donna was equally involved in watching Big Rhonda suck Forman's face off.

Hyde wasn't jealous, not really. But sometimes he could feel the thought rioting in his gut; the knowledge that Donna had wanted Forman, Forman had wanted Donna, and he had stepped between them.

The lies about work, which no one believed, made a good excuse for not spending more time with his old friends, but it was more about avoiding this kind of moment. The wistful look on Donna's face as she considered what she might have had. The mechanical resignation with which Forman kissed his sometime girlfriend. The pitiful way Fez retreated to the Burkharts' piano and sang Neil Diamond songs about loneliness. All these images twisted inside Hyde, making it harder to ignore the voice which insisted, _It's all your fault_.

But Hyde hadn't forced Donna to kiss him back that first time, and he didn't make Donna stay with him. He had never asked Donna to tattoo his name on her arm or pay less and less attention to her own studies. She did all that because she loved him, and he...he couldn't see Jackie anymore.

Drunken teenagers lounged, danced, shouted, and kissed in every inch of the trashed living room, but Jackie was not to be seen anywhere among them. True, she was short, easy to miss, but not in that dress, and not with the way Hyde had focused on her tonight.

"I have to take a leak," he told a tipsy Donna before setting her down on one of the displaced sofa cushions.

Hyde walked casually up the stairs. He passed several necking couples and knew he'd find worse than that if he opened up any of the bedroom doors. Maybe that's where Jackie was. Hyde hadn't seen Kelso in a while; maybe her party stunt had finally done what she'd wanted and gotten Kelso's attention back on her.

Feeling sick, Hyde decided he really would visit the bathroom. But he wasn't quite sure where it was. _Nothing else for it,_ he shrugged as he opened a door.

What he found was the only dark, quiet, empty room in the house. Books lined several walls; a leather couch and two leather chairs occupied the center of the room and, beyond them, stood a large, oak desk, with a massive black chair, turned toward the wall.

Hyde was about to leave when the tinkle of glass on glass stopped him. Jackie would hate it if someone messed up her dad's office. "Somebody here?" he asked before he could stop himself.

The black chair swiveled around, and a forlorn little creature met his gaze. "Steven?" Jackie asked out of the darkness. He could hear the tears in her voice. She flicked on a small lamp on her father's desk. The dim light reflected off the glass of brandy in one hand, the crystal decanter in the other.

Without stopping to think, Hyde closed the door behind him and made his way across the room to her. "What happened?"

Jackie laughed, a harsh, bitter sound that he hated even more than her fake smiles. "Nothing I shouldn't have expected. I was trying so hard, so hard to be...to be what I'm supposed to be, but it was too much, I couldn't do it, so I went to my room, and _he_ was there, with _her_. He made love to her in my bed, _my_ bed, where I..."

Hyde didn't say a word as he leaned against the edge of the desk, next to Jackie's chair. His fingers dug into the wood.

With another empty chuckle and a shake of her head, Jackie drained her glass, wincing as she swallowed. She immediately refilled the glass, nearly to the top.

"Aren't you going to tell me not to?" she asked, raising the glass to her lips.

Hyde shrugged. "If it makes you feel better, why not?"

"Feel better?" Jackie looked down at the drink in her hand; then, with an angry cry, she threw it at a distant bookcase. "Nothing makes it better. Nothing ever makes it better. What does it matter anyway? Michael is fucking Laurie in my bed, my mom's fucking the poolboy in Mexico, and Dad's fucking his secretary at the office. That's life, right?"

She had fallen a long way from the girl who could only speak of sex in terms of "proving love." Maybe it was all part of growing up, but Hyde, who had never had any illusions about love for himself, suddenly resented everyone who had stripped Jackie of hers.

"Look, Jackie..." He wanted to say something, to help her out, but the words wouldn't come. Hyde had never learned them.

She looked up at him with drowning eyes and splotchy face, and all he could think to do was lean down and kiss her, as gently as he knew how.

Jackie didn't want comfort, however. Her fingers twisted in Hyde's hair, pulling him closer to her, nails digging into his scalp. She kissed him, open-mouthed, angry and punishing. She tasted like cheap beer and her father's brandy, and even as he kissed her back, pulled her out of the chair and molded her body to his, Hyde couldn't help thinking that marshmallows had suited her better.

She twisted her mouth away to nibble at his ear. Hyde's hands traced the smooth skin of her bare back above the gold slip of a dress. She was intoxicating, the smell, the feel, the taste of her; he could no longer hear the whisper of his conscience over the Siren's lure of her body.

Jackie turned them both, sitting down on her father's desk and pulling Hyde between her thighs. "Fuck me, Steven," she breathed against his mouth.

Before he could answer, to protest or agree, she kissed him again. Her mouth, her sinful, saintly mouth moved against his like silk, like promises, like lies. Everything about this moment was a lie. Hyde knew it, even as his lips roved across her neck, her jaw, slipped down to taste the skin between her breasts.

He knew it was a lie. He just didn't care.

--

"Don't tell Donna," she said, as she zipped up her dress, back to him, face hidden in shadows.

All the coiled tension that should have been released through mind-blowing sex curled tighter at her soft-spoken words, at her embarrassed avoidance. Hyde didn't know if he was pissed at her, himself, or the whole fucked up world, but he lashed out at her all the same.

"Why? So it can get back to her when you tell all your idiot friends?"

"I won't tell anyone."

"Right, I forgot. Can't let anyone think Jackie Burkhart is less than perfect. Screwing the help is only sexy in romance novels."

She turned to face him then, and Hyde felt another wave of guilt at her red, puffy eyes. She never had stopped crying, not even when she was screaming his name. "I didn't mean…look, Donna is—was—my friend. I don't want her to know that I—"

"Fucked her boyfriend?" He purposely used the cruelest term he knew. They both deserved the pain of it. God, Donna…he had wrecked everything, proven himself the screw-up she was convinced he wasn't."

"She doesn't have to know, Steven. It…it was my fault. You were being a friend, and I took advantage. That's all."

Of course that wasn't all. Jackie wasn't responsible for his lying to Donna all along, for his kissing her last week, for swiping the condom from Kelso today. Donna had been on the pill for years, but he had a condom in his pocket tonight, and Jackie never stopped to question that. Hyde knew why.

He also knew he wouldn't tell Jackie any of that. He would let her blame herself, and he would blame her, too.

Suddenly, he felt tired. Tired of the fighting and the blame, tired of the wanting and lying. Tired of life.

"I won't tell Donna," he said as he left.

He never did.


	78. Eric's Depression

**Title:** Filling the Gaps**  
Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A missing scene.

**Eric's Depression**

Funland wasn't really all that fun. It had a few rides, some arcade games, and, of course, the Funland Princess, but mostly it was the kind of second-rate amusement park you'd expect in middle-of-nowhere Wisconsin. Plus, every time they came, Michael got lost, and Jackie wasted half the day looking for him.

If she were perfectly honest with herself, Jackie would admit that the main reason she hated Funland had nothing to do with the two-bit attractions or the annoying pervert in the dog suit. The problem with it was that she'd never gotten to experience it the way she wanted—on her boyfriend's arm. She always came with visions of walking through overpriced souvenir shops hand in hand, digging her nails into Michael's arm on the roller coasters, cuddling and stealing kisses in the Tunnel of Love, Michael winning her armfuls of prizes at the ring toss.

Instead, here she was—again—feeling more like a frantic mother than an adored girlfriend. She sat on a bench outside the arcade, scanning passing faces for Michael, while she waited for Steven and Fez to finish playing their stupid games.

Jackie slumped, pouting, arms crossed, down into her seat. Why couldn't anything, just once, happen the way she dreamed?

"Here you go." A familiar voice distinguished itself from the crowd. Weight bore down on Jackie's head, at the same time something large and furry was shoved into her arms.

Jackie looked up from the giant teddy bear in front of her to Steven's smug face. Shifting the prize into one arm, she reached up and felt the points of the tiara he had placed in her hair. "You won these for me?" She hoped he didn't hear the quaver in her voice.

"Well, I offered them to Fez, but he insisted they wouldn't go with his Goofy hat."

Jackie knew he was lying, covering as always for the fact that he had done something nice. But she let the lie stand. It was enough that she knew the truth.

"Come on, you two," Fez cried, bouncing up to them. "You are wasting Funland time by not having fun! Hyde, you promised we could go on the Screaming Death Dragon once I'd eaten five hot dogs, a bag of kettle corn, and a Slushie. I have done so, though my tummy doesn't feel so good now, but you must keep your promise!"

"You betcha, little buddy. Did I mention that roller coasters are a great place to pick up chicks? So make sure to get a seat next to the hottest girl in line."

"Oh Hyde, what would I ever do without your wisdom and care?" Fez took off for the rickety, towering ride.

Hyde chuckled, grabbing Jackie's free hand and pulling her to her feet. "Come on. You're not gonna want to miss this."

Jackie had no real desire to see Fez ralph on some unlucky skank while riding on an inescapable death trap. But she felt the soft fur of the teddy bear against one hand, the warm press of Steven's palm against the other.

She followed, unresisting.


	79. Pinciotti vs Forman

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A missing scene.

**Pinciotti vs. Forman**

Everything felt off-kilter.

Jackie was one hundred percent on Donna's side and was glad she was winning. But the Pinciottis' living room was a teal and chrome nightmare, and they were all uncomfortable. Donna bustled from the kitchen to the mini-bar, offering them endless snacks and drinks. She was trying too hard; she hadn't sat down for two minutes together since they arrived. Fez, the traitor, had stuck with Eric. So Jackie sat in the middle of the Pinciottis' ugly, scratchy couch, Michael on one side, Steven on the other, while they counted stupid boobs on the stupid cable.

It was a whole new level of awkward.

Normally, Jackie would cuddle into Michael's side when the gang watched a movie, but with Steven, and Steven alone, right there, it seemed too cruel. She perched primly on the edge of her cushion, skin prickling with awareness of the men on either side of her.

"The corndogs should be ready in a few minutes. Cheese cube, anyone?" Donna leaned over between Michael and Jackie to offer up a tray of toothpick-speared hors d'oeuvres.

Jackie's nose wrinkled. "Ugh, Donna! You know I hate smelling like cheese."

Michael ate several cubes in one bite, then frowned as he chewed. "Ah man, that wasn't what I wanted."

"Of course not, baby. It's time for your daily popsicle."

Michael grinned down at her in thanks. "That's right!" He looked back at Donna. "Cherry's my favorite."

"Uh, I don't think we have any, but I guess I could ask my dad to go to the store to—"

"That'll take too long, Donna. When a man needs a popsicle, he needs it right away!" Michael jumped to his feet. "I'll just go grab one at Eric's."

"But—"

He was gone before Donna could finish her argument. She looked devastated.

"Cheer up, Donna," Jackie reassured her. "He'll be back."

"Because he likes me best?"

Hyde snorted. "No. Boobs, Donna. Dozens and dozens of space boobs." He gestured at the nearly pornographic movie.

The oven timer dinged.

"Ooh, corndogs." Donna ran to the kitchen.

Jackie let out a relieved sigh. Free of Donna's hovering for ten seconds, she felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. She sank back into the couch cushions.

Steven's arm was around her shoulders.

Jackie realized that was ridiculous. He had just been sprawled out, arm across the back of the sofa, and she had leaned against him. But she could feel the muscles in his arm shift behind her neck and the light brush of his fingers against her shoulder.

She couldn't stop herself from turning to study him. Steven's eyes, behind his glasses, were still glued to the television, but there was a studied avoidance in the way he wouldn't look at her. And he didn't pull his arm free.

His fingers started tracing circles around the ball of her shoulder. Gooseflesh raised on Jackie's arms. Her breathing quickened, heart rate sped; she shifted closer to him.

"How many boobs did I miss?" Michael's excited yell preceded him through the Pinciottis' kitchen.

Jackie jumped back to her perch at the sofa's edge. She didn't look at Steven, but she heard his arm fall back to his side.

"Oh, it is like heaven, but with more boobs!" Fez exulted as he sank to the couch between Jackie and Hyde.

Everything felt off-kilter today. Jackie curled into Michael and willed her unease away.


	80. Hyde Gets the Girl

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** hints of Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **Why did Jackie bring Rhonda to Hyde's party?

**Hyde Gets the Girl**

Jackie loved matchmaking. She had personally set up Brad and Kat, Tina and Jimmy, and—though she didn't consider it a truly noteworthy accomplishment—she took much of the credit for navigating Donna and stupid Eric through their rocky relationship.

So who better than Jackie Burkhart to find the perfect girl for Steven? Steven was one of her best friends, an honestly good guy under the off-putting scruff. Sadly, he had horrible taste in women; his rejecting her time and time again proved that.

Still, Jackie was convinced she knew Steven Hyde better than almost anybody, including himself. She was sure to know his soulmate the second she spotted her. To that end, she bought a soda, grabbed a corner booth at The Hub, and began staking out potential girlfriends.

Pam Macy held court by the bathroom. She was immediately out of the running. No man would fall in love with a slut like that. Steven deserved much better, someone with a bit more…class.

Jackie rummaged in her purse for a pen, then doodled the word _**classy**_ on her napkin.

Missy Henderson was a nice girl, but not pretty enough. Steven wouldn't glance twice at her. Jackie added _**beautiful**_ to her napkin.

Over the next hour, Jackie watched two dozen of Point Place's single girls come and go. Katie was too bubbly, Meghan too butch. Rebecca was too shy, Annie too obnoxious. Stella smelled like cheese; Barbara's eyes were too close together; Michelle was an idiot; Violet went to church three times a week.

Jackie took a look at the impromptu list she'd made of traits to describe Steven's perfect woman.

_**classy, beautiful, smart, funny, not a doormat, able to deal with Steven's crap, petite, brunette, sexy, loving enough to care for the victim of a broken home, stubborn enough to clean up his rough edges**_

_The only woman that perfect, _Jackie realized, _is me. But I'm taken. Poor Steven, no one else is good enough for him. I might as well take the next bitch who walks in the door._

Bells jangled, and Jackie looked up expectantly. In walked Brooke. Gorgeous, brilliant, student body president Brooke. Jackie blanched, every feeling revolting at the idea of introducing Steven to someone so flawless.

Across the restaurant, Big Rhonda let loose a deep belch. Jackie breathed a sigh of relief. This was one task she didn't mind failing.


	81. ByeBye Basement

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary: **Missing scene. Takes place sometime between Hyde's talk with Eric in his room and later on the couch.

**Bye-Bye Basement**

"Hey, Steven."

Hyde stopped himself from doing a double take, but only just. It seemed like forever and yesterday since the last time Jackie had visited him in his room, and the fact that this was a different room did nothing to stop the involuntary memory of her lips moving against his.

But Hyde had always been quick on the uptake, and even quicker at concealing his emotions. In less time than it took Jackie to flip her hair, he had deduced what brought her here and braced himself accordingly. "Not you, too."

Hands on hips, Jackie glared down at him as he sprawled on his cot. "Who else has been talking to you about this? Michael?"

"Forman." Hyde flipped again through the _Archie _comic he'd hidden behind earlier with Eric, determined to withstand Jackie's nosy prying.

"Ewww! I knew Eric was a pathetic loser, but I never knew he was such a pervert."

Confused, Hyde looked up at her. "What are you talking about?"

"What are _you _talking about?"

"Moving back in with the Formans."

"Oh." Jackie instantly relaxed, plopping down next to Hyde. "They finally noticed?"

"_You _noticed? When?"

"Your dad's apartment is between Michael's and the Formans' house. I pass it almost every day. Your car hasn't been parked there for a week."

"And you weren't curious why?"

Jackie shrugged. "I figured your deadbeat, alcoholic father ditched you again."

Apparently, Jackie Burkhart knew him better than anyone. She had figured out the where and the why, but she didn't care or expect him to. Every once in a very long while, Hyde thought he liked Jackie better than anyone except the Formans.

To cover for that bizarre feeling in his chest, he asked gruffly, "So if that's not why you're here, what is?"

"Oh. Right. That." The color climbed in Jackie's cheeks. Her shoulders rose defensively. She examined her nails with far too much interest.

Hyde relished the signs of her discomfort. Too often she was the one making him squirm—internally, of course. He had no intentions of making anything easier on her, either. He flipped a page in his comic and chuckled at Jughead's idiocy.

When Jackie finally spoke, it all came out in one breath, nearly one word: "Did-you-really-watch-me-and-Michael-having-sex?" Her face matched the pink of her hat; only Jackie could color-coordinate her mortification.

Hyde wondered what shades her body took on during sex, if that rosy hue reached below her neckline. He hated himself for thoughts like that about her, but they wouldn't freaking stop.

Better to turn the tables back on her and her issues.

"Why? Does that idea turn you on?"

Jackie went even redder, but her eyes flickered momentarily up at him. Her pupils were wide and dark. Oh yeah, princess definitely had a wild side. "Eww," she covered, half-heartedly and too late, as her eyes slid away. "You're disgusting, Steven Hyde."

"I know. It's what you dig about me."

"I don't—" Jackie bit her lip, checking her words. He wanted to bite it for her. "Look, will you just answer the question?"

Hyde enjoyed tormenting Jackie, but he didn't want her thinking he was some pervert like Fez, getting off on other peoples' sex lives because he didn't have one of his own.

"I don't watch," he admitted truthfully, "but the walls down here are the next thing to cardboard, so could you two freaks do it somewhere else now that I'm back?"

"Of course." Jackie seemed relieved, but still embarrassed as she stood. "Thank you, Steven."

As she turned to walk away, some unknown force inside of him—the same one that made him listen in masochistic torment to her every pant and moan, that made her screams of pleasure the sound in his head when he jacked off—made him call after her. "Kelso's gotten better since you split. Maybe you should save your thanks for Laurie."

Jackie's back stiffened, but she walked away without a retort or backward glance.

It was still worth it.


	82. The Relapse

**Title:** Filling the Gaps**  
Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** hints of Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **150-word post-episodic drabble-and-a-half

**The Relapse**

Jackie was sitting on the couch when Steven came back from Donna's. Eric was not.

"You told him?"

"Of course."

"He pissed?"

"Of course."

Steven sat next to her, filling Eric's empty spot.

"You talk to her?"

"Yup."

"How's she doing?"

"Crappy."

Jackie sort of knew how Donna felt. It hurt every time her mom took off, looking for sun and booze—not necessarily in that order—and Jackie knew her mom would come back whenever Daddy put a stop on her credit cards. She hadn't mentioned that to Donna. It wouldn't have helped.

Steven knew exactly how Donna felt. He had been abandoned many times.

"Parents suck," Jackie said. She'd never voiced the thought aloud before.

She'd thought it many times.

"Yup," was all Hyde said. But he slung his arm across the back of the couch and sat beside her in silence all through _Three's Company_.

It helped.


	83. Uncomfortable Ball Stuff

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, very slightly implied Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **100-word drabble, immediately following The Circle.

**Uncomfortable Ball Stuff**

"Where's Fez?" Jackie asked as Leo and Hyde followed her and Kelso outside.

"Locked him in." Hyde jingled his keys with a smirk.

"That doesn't seem nice. Fez is our friend. You should let him out."

"He told me we can't let you look through other people's pictures anymore."

Jackie gasped. "Traitor!" She glared at the darkened Fotohut. "We should torch the place."

"Man, I've been to prison, but she scares me."

Kelso snickered. Jackie pinched him.

"OW! Damn, Jackie! Leo's the one who said it."

"You laughed!"

Hyde's smirk stretched. Five minutes without Fez, and life was already better.


	84. Donna's Story

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **200-word missing moment drabble, inspired by the fact that Hyde was standing much closer than necessary to Jackie at the beginning of this scene.

**Donna's Story**

"I need a soda," Jackie said as she rose from the table.

Unlike Jackie, Hyde didn't feel the need to announce his every action to his friends, but he had been waiting for his chance to talk to Jackie all day. So once conversation resumed, he casually followed her to The Hub's counter.

"Hey, Jackie."

She whirled to face him. Damn, she looked hot today. Feathered, black hair; ruby red lips; tight T-shirt over perky breasts. Without thinking, he leaned closer to her. She even smelled fantastic.

"Steven?" Jackie looked confused and impatient.

"Uh, so have you thought about the kind of dress Kelso's going to buy you?"

She rambled crap about hemlines and sequins, and Hyde was caught, entranced by her eyes and her mouth, and what was he doing again?

Oh yeah. Burning Kelso.

He inclined his head toward hers and was gratified to note the hitch in her breath. His lips nearly touched hers as he whispered, "Kelso bought the pinball machine instead of your dress."

Jackie pulled back, rage settling over her features as she turned to confront her boyfriend. Hyde wiped a hand across his face, his tingling mouth, and followed to enjoy the fireworks.


	85. The Forgotten Son

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A missing scene.

**The Forgotten Son**

"How'd Red take the new idea?"

"He shot me down," Michael complained, searching the freezer for a popsicle. "He has no artistic vision at all."

Jackie sank dejectedly onto the couch while Steven chuckled. "It might be a joke to you, but I just lost my first chance to be a star!"

Hyde snorted. "It's a Price-mart instructional film. You'd be a bigger star making porn in Kelso's bedroom."

Michael's head shot up so fast he hit it on Mrs. Forman's laundry shelves. "Hey, that's—"

"_NO_, Michael." Jackie gave her boyfriend her best speak-of-it-again-and-die look.

"Man, no one in this town understands my genius." Kelso stomped out of the basement.

For the first time, Jackie noticed what Steven was wearing. "Are those clothes new?"

Hyde put his thumbs through his belt loops and lifted his feet to the table, smiling in his smug fashion. "Yup. Leo inherited some cash, so he's spending it all on me. And Fez. They'll be back from the candy store soon."

Jackie briefly wished she'd been nicer to the dirty old hippie, but she was mostly caught up in thinking about how good Steven looked in his tight black T-shirt and new jeans. He always cleaned up good, and this look gave him something extra, a hint of excitement, or maybe danger.

Excitement, danger…that was what Michael's movie idea was missing. A dancer/stockboy and his devoted girlfriend was a good start, but it needed more plot. It needed…a scruffy bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, showing up in a black T-shirt, jeans, and a leather jacket—like the one Jackie had given to Michael, that Steven had taken—to try and steal the beautiful, classy heroine away from the gorgeous, slightly dim-witted hero. The heroine would, of course, choose the hero in the end, letting the bad boy ride away—_ooh, on a motorcycle_, Jackie decided—knowing she'd made the right decision, but always wondering what might have been…

"Earth to Jackie." Hyde was waving a hand in front of her face.

She swatted it away. "What?"

"Barbarino split, like, twenty minutes ago. What are you still doing here?"

Hyde's curt, annoyed tone reminded Jackie of the multitude of reasons why she had made the right choice. She stalked to the door, but couldn't resist some parting advice. "Hey, Steven?"

"Yeah?"

"When Leo comes back, have him get you a motorcycle."


	86. Red and Stacey

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde, Jackie/Kelso**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episodic ficlet.

**Red and Stacey**

Jackie laughed long and loud.

"Yeah, yuck it up," Steven griped as he scrubbed fruitlessly at his face. "You just made my list, right behind Kelso, Forman, Donna and all the losers at The Hub."

"You went…like that…to The Hub?" Jackie gasped between her giggles.

Hyde threw the wet washcloth directly at her face. She winced at the stinging sensation, instantly sobered.

Throwing the rag on the table, Jackie grabbed her emergency beauty kit. "Nice, Steven. Now, do you want to keep throwing things at me, or do you want me to get that stuff off your face?"

"The water didn't do it?"

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Please. If it's not waterproof, I don't own it." She rummaged through her case for wet wipes and makeup remover. "You know, you should really let me exfoliate while I'm at it. Your pores are huge."

"Shut up and clean this crap off."

Seeing Steven had reached his limit, and feeling a bit sorry for him despite her amusement, Jackie obediently stood over his chair and started applying the makeup remover to the still dark eyeliner and bright red blush. "They didn't work with your coloring at all. You're a winter, not a spring."

"Yeah, I'm sure _that's_ why everyone was laughing."

Jackie grinned down at him. For the first time since she walked into the basement, the corners of Hyde's lips quirked up in a small smile. The movement brought her attention to the inexpertly applied lip rouge still coloring his mouth. She traced two oil-covered fingers along his thick bottom lip. Hyde pressed into the touch, and she was reminded of the moment years earlier when he responded to her cleansing a bloody lip in exactly the same way. Her heart had jumped at the contact then, too.

Last time, Michael had interrupted. Jackie ran away, trying to forget it ever happened.

Now, she was caught, no Michael to save her—from Steven or herself. Her hand shook, as she attempted to finish wiping away the lipstick.

_Breathe, Jackie. It's nothing. You're just cleaning him up._

But she could feel Steven's blue, blue eyes riveted on her and couldn't make herself meet his stare. That left nowhere to look but his mouth. His mouth, that felt so soft and supple against her fingers, that she remembered as hungry and hot against her lips.

When she finally pulled her hand away, a shock like the breaking of an electrical current swept through Jackie's body. Her treacherous eyes snapped up to his. So much want, so much pure, liquid heat in those normally icy depths…

"Steven," she whispered. She was too aware of her heartbeat pounding in her ears, of her shallow breaths, of the fact that it was her, and her alone, erasing the gap between their faces.

"Hey, Hyde, you down here, man?" Michael's voice clattered ahead of him down the basement steps.

Jackie yanked herself away just in time. Pulling out one last cleaning wipe, she tossed it to Hyde. "Here, you can finish yourself."

"Ah jeez, Jackie! You helped him get it off! I was going to take pictures of that epic burn."

Once again, Michael had saved her from herself. She wished she felt more grateful.


	87. The Third Wheel

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, slightly implied Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episodic 200-word double drabble.

**The Third Wheel**

Hyde already knew Jackie was pissed at Kelso, so he wasn't that surprised to find her on the basement couch when he got home—late, drunk and girl-less—after beer bowling with the guys. He was prepared for a rant about what a stupid jerk "Michael" was. He figured the alcohol would make it more bearable—easier to tune out this way.

What he wasn't expecting was for Jackie to be pissed at _him_.

"So you don't want me to have a key to the basement, Steven?"

"I'm too drunk for this." Hyde stumbled toward his bedroom. "Come back in the morning, when I'll already wish I was dead."

She followed him. Of course, she followed him.

"Why are you okay with Big Rhonda having a key and not me, Steven?"

Hyde collapsed facedown on his bunk, fully-clothed. "Mostly 'cause I know she wouldn't follow me into my room when I'm drunk and tired, asking stupid questions," he mumbled into his pillow.

He couldn't remember if Jackie said anything after that, but he woke in the morning covered in a warm quilt, with his boots off. His key to the basement was missing.

Hyde could only admire that.


	88. An Eric Forman Christmas

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde, Jackie/Kelso, Joseph/Virgin Mary?  
**Rating:** PG-13**  
Summary: **A missing rehearsal scene.  
**Notes: **Rather appropriately, this will be my last update before Christmas. Don't worry, I still have more episodes ready, but the holidays are crazy in my house, and I just won't have much computer time. So thank you all for your wonderful feedback—especially kayjay and Willofthewisp, who always give such lovely, long reviews; they're so encouraging! I wish you all a Merry Christmas (or Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or holiday of choice), and I'll be back with more chapters in 2010.

**An Eric Forman Christmas**

"Man, Joseph gets gypped," Hyde said, throwing down his script in disgust. "His chick gets pregnant with some other Dude's Kid, he still marries her, and then he doesn't get any action, 'cause she pulls the virgin card. Plus, he's the stepdad, so you just know Jesus is going to throw that in his face. 'My real Dad made the universe in six days, and what can you do again? Make a lopsided bench?'"

"Ooh, Jesus burn!" Kelso laughed.

Eric put his head in his hands and groaned. "I thought you guys were going to do the play my way now."

"What's wrong with a little spiritual debate, man?" Hyde kicked his feet up on the manger and lounged on the straw.

"Steven's right, Eric," Jackie put in. She sat on her knees next to Hyde. "You haven't given his character a convincing motivation."

Hyde could practically see the steam rising out of Forman's ears. He held back a chuckle, enjoying this show much more than the stupid pageant.

"God told him to. That's his motivation. That's been his motivation in every Christmas pageant since the FIRST Christmas pageant. Which was probably the year after the first Christmas."

"I don't know, Eric," Donna said. "I kinda understand where they're coming from. I mean, Joseph must have loved Mary an awful lot to do what he did, and that's just not coming through in this script at all."

"This script is the _Bible_!" Forman's eyes bulged nearly out of his twitchy face. "Gee, I'm sorry God couldn't take time out of describing the redemption of all mankind to give you freaks a love scene!"

Squealing, Jackie jumped to her feet. She clapped her hands in joy. "A love scene! Eric, you're brilliant! That's just what this play needs."

"But—"

"Ooh, I'll write it!" Donna volunteered.

"I'll help you. You don't understand true romance like I do, Donna." Jackie rushed to her friend's side. Chattering a mile a minute, they left in search of a typewriter.

Eric glared at Hyde. "You just had to open your porky mouth, didn't you?"

Hyde smirked and lay back in the straw. Maybe now he could get a nap.

--

"Finished!"

Hyde was awakened by Donna's triumphant cry. She and Jackie stood over the sulky, card-playing group at the table.

"Does this mean Fez can go home now?"

"No, Fez, we still have to rehearse it."

"But, Donna, if I do not get home before ten, my cruel host parents lock me out."

"Rehearse, Fez."

"But, Donna—"

She raised her hand. "I said, 'rehearse!'"

"Using my own tricks against me. That is cruel, woman."

"Here, Steven," Jackie said, handing him a piece of paper. "It's your copy." Her eyes glowed, and her cheeks were flushed.

That could only bode ill.

Hyde quickly skimmed the scene. "No way in hell." He crumpled the script in his fist.

"Man, quit swearing in church," Forman hissed. His eyes searched this way and that for Pastor Dave. Possibly a host of avenging angels. Or his mommy.

"Come on, Steven! It's a great scene. So beautiful and romantic—"

"Then have Kelso do it with you."

Kelso looked up from the house of cards he was building. "Jackie and I are gonna do it in a church?"

"NO!" Eric, Donna and Jackie all yelled together.

"Jeez, way to get a guy's hopes up, and then smack him back down. You know, Jesus doesn't like meanies."

"Kelso's right. So I really shouldn't even be here." Hyde took a step toward the edge of the stage.

"We've been over this before, Hyde," Eric sighed. "Kelso can't play Joseph because he can't even remember the one line he does have."

"_Unh!_ Can so!"

"What is it then?"

Kelso's expression blanked, eyes darting frantically. "Uh, I am a wise man. I come in peace." Then he did the Vulcan salute.

"LEARN YOUR LINE!"

Fez poked Eric on the shoulder. "Um, I know my lines. May I go home now?"

"_NO!_"

"Fine. You son of a bitch." Panicked, Fez looked up at the ceiling. "Ai! I did not mean it, God. Please, no lightning bolts. I do not want to die a virgin."

Hyde chuckled. "Maybe Fez should play Mary. He's the only one still qualified."

"Are you saying you would rather act out a love scene with Fez than with _me_, Steven?"

Kelso jumped onstage between him and Jackie. "WHOA! If anyone's doing a love scene with my girlfriend, it's gonna be me."

"Go ahead. I'm outta here." Hyde hopped to the floor and headed for the doorway.

"If Hyde can leave, then Fez can, too." The foreign exchange student happily trailed behind Hyde towards the church doors.

"Neither of you are leaving, even if I have to make you stay with my own two hands," said Donna, blocking the exit.

"Damn it! Why couldn't Forman guard the door? I can take him down." Hyde made a rush at Donna anyway. A scuffle broke out, as both Fez and Hyde grappled with the freakishly strong girl.

"ENOUGH!"

The voice was so sharp and commanding they ceased fighting immediately. Shocked, they turned toward Eric.

"Man, when'd you learn to sound like Red?"

Eric grinned, delighted. "I did?" Then he coughed and attempted to regain his glower. When next he spoke, his voice dropped two octaves. "I mean, yes, I did. Because I am in charge here. So here's what's gonna happen: Donna, Kelso and Fez, you're all going to sit down in front of the stage and shut up. Hyde, you're going to get back on that stage, and you and Jackie will act out Donna's scene once. If it's good, it's in the show. If, as I suspect, it's a steaming pile of c—"

"Watch it," Donna warned.

"Caramel apples," Eric amended. "Then, I'll cut it. No harm done."

Hyde didn't agree with Forman's assessment. He thought there was liable to be a great deal of harm done after the scene. Grievous bodily harm, when Kelso tried—and failed—to kick Hyde's ass.

Whatever. Hyde was tired to arguing about it. He took the stage, smoothing out the paper clenched in his fist.

"Oh, Joseph!" Jackie posed, melodramatically facing the audience with a hand to her brown. "I know you're going to send me away from you, but I promise I have not been unfaithful. This child is the Son of…God."

Hyde stiffly read his lines. "I know, Mary. An angel told me so in a dream. But, Mary, even when I thought you betrayed me, I never stopped…" Hyde grimaced and finished between clenched teeth. "…loving you."

Kelso and Fez snickered.

"Darling!" Jackie ran across the stage and threw herself into Hyde's arms so hard he stumbled two steps backward.

He shifted his weight in an attempt to read his script over Jackie's shoulder and around her feathered hair. He tried not to breathe in her perfume or notice how good her body felt pressed to his. Finally, he spotted his next line, the cringe-worthy, "Marry me, Mary."

Forman joined the other two guys in laughter. Hyde clenched his fists again. He was going to kick all their asses after this.

"Of course I will, Joseph." Jackie pulled away slightly. Her whole face was suffused with joy as she looked up at him. "I love you."

Hyde felt like he'd been kicked in the gut, and he didn't know why. Didn't know why it mattered at all when she was obviously just playing a part. Jackie had said she loved him before, and it had always meant crap to him. Why now? Why this?

What he did know was that he would have kissed her then whether the script said to or not—though, later, he was relieved that it did. He lowered his head ever so slowly, watching mesmerized as Jackie tilted her head towards him, as she moistened her lips and her eyes fluttered shut.

It had been a year ago almost to the day since the last time Hyde kissed Jackie Burkhart. As his lips brushed hers, he knew he wouldn't ever wait that long again.

"_Ewwwww!_"

Four identical cries of disgust caused Hyde to pull away before he'd done more than touch his mouth to hers. He looked at his friends and saw matching horrified expressions, like Forman had after catching his parents having sex. Even Kelso seemed disgusted rather than jealous.

"My eyes! My eyes!" Fez moaned, covering the offending body parts.

Donna shuddered. "I need to bleach my brain now."

"Right behind you, Big D."

"All right," said Eric, getting to his feet and facing those seated. "I think we can all agree; without exaggeration, that was the most disturbing sight we've ever witnessed—nay, that has ever occurred—in the history of the universe. But it is okay, because we're going to burn the scripts and pretend the whole abomination never happened."

"I am so sorry, everyone," Donna said. "I wasn't thinking about casting when I wrote it, only the characters, and I—"

"Donna," Forman interrupted in his best schoolteacher voice, "you don't have to apologize for anything because _nothing happened_. Does anyone have a lighter?"

Hyde had one, but the other four seemed pretty intent on ignoring his and Jackie's existence right now, so he let Kelso bring his out.

"Wait, Kelso, we shouldn't light a fire next to all this straw. Let's go outside."

Kelso, Forman and Fez obediently trooped out behind Donna into the churchyard. None of them noticed that Hyde and Jackie still stood two feet apart on the stage, deliberately not looking at each other.

What did it mean if the thing that felt so right to him sickened all his friends to such a degree? Actually, Hyde mused, that worked. He prided himself on being a counterculture rebel. If kissing Jackie and liking it made him a sick bastard, he could handle that.

"Imagine what they'd have done if we used tongue."

Hyde glanced over at Jackie, surprised by her droll remark. She smiled impishly back at him. It was the same smile she'd had when they tied Dave up in lights. A smile that said _we're friends_ and _it's cool _and _I enjoyed it, too_ without the annoying bother of words.

"If you want to give that a shot, there's always mistletoe."

Jackie thumped him lightly on the stomach. "You wish."

The pathetic thing? He did.


	89. Jackie Says Cheese

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary: **A post-episodic ficlet.

**Jackie Says Cheese**

Hyde didn't get it. Jackie was given the perfect excuse to dump the doofus, and instead she'd chosen a life of drudgery in a—admittedly alluring—milkmaid's dirndl.

Whatever. She had chosen Kelso over Daddy's bottomless wallet. Chick was obviously _loco_. As if he hadn't known that before.

Still, Hyde found himself in Point Place's Mecca of Consumerism more times in the first few weeks Jackie worked there than in the few years before that. Mostly, he had legitimate reasons for this—driving friends, pointing and laughing, bringing a camera from the Fotohut so he could point and laugh at the pictures for years to come—but it was Wednesday of Jackie's third week on the job, and the best excuse Hyde had for being at this place of nightmares was a craving for an Orange Julius.

Pathetic.

He hadn't even brought Fez along so he'd have someone to blame if he was recognized. Instead, he sat on a bench five stores down and on the other side of the hallway from the Cheese Palace and tried to figure out why he was here and, more importantly, why Jackie was.

Also, wondering if it would be possible to catch another reflected vision of her panties.

Damn it, what was the matter with him? He could be taking off the panties of nearly any other girl in this crappy town with his teeth, and here he sat fantasizing about a flash of Jackie Burkhart's prim, pink underwear.

It was sick. Hyde had called it right from the beginning. That girl was a disease, infecting everyone she touched, crawling under their skin, until a man couldn't think straight anymore.

Hyde had spent enough time watching her to spot her behavior pattern. In the lulls between passersby, Jackie's shoulders slumped with disappointment. The second someone new appeared, she pulled herself up tall and plastered a fake grin on her face, a grin which slowly turned into frustration and anger when shoppers ignored her.

Not everyone did overlook her, of course. This was Wisconsin. There were thousands of fat bastards who ate, drank and probably bathed in cheese. Then, there were the old lechers and sex-starved thirteen-year-olds who stopped to feel up the cheese maiden.

Hyde wanted to kick all their perverted asses, and he would have, except it wasn't his chick they were harassing. It was Kelso's. The fact that she was standing there in that tiny, tight dress, doing menial work she hated, proved how very much she was Kelso's.

Man, he wanted to hit somebody.

Over a minute passed with no shoppers to harass. Jackie looked down the hall; she walked in his direction.

Oh crap. She'd spotted him.

Hyde took a drink of his orange julius. He was cool, aloof, Zen.

"Steven? What are you doing here?"

"Nothing."

"Oh." Jackie frowned. Her eyes trailed over the nearby storefronts. "Did you give someone a lift?"

"Nope."

"Huh. Okay. Well, why did you come?"

"Wanted a drink." He shook his cup, making the crushed ice rattle.

Jackie looked longingly down at it. "I am so thirsty. I haven't had a drink for hours," she whined.

He shrugged.

She pouted.

He ignored her.

She leaned over, putting Hyde eyelevel with the cheese tray—and her dusky cleavage. "Try Colby jack, you'll never go back." Then the little wench wrapped her lips around the julius straw and drank.

He let her.

"Thanks, Steven." Jackie straightened, walking away with an extra sway in her hips that he knew was just for him. He left before she turned around to see if he was watching.

Body tight with want, Hyde drove home to find the photo of her in that dress. He'd saved one copy for his personal use.


	90. Eric's Hot Cousin

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** hints of Jackie/Hyde, mentions of Jackie/Kelso, Penny/all the guys  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary: **A missing snippet, after Donna and Jackie come over to the Formans, sunburned.

**Eric's Hot Cousin**

"So why did you turn yourselves into tomatoes?"

Jackie glared at Steven. She knew he only left the guys' basketball game, so he could torment her. Her clothes stung her skin every time she moved, she would have to miss school for a week, and now Michael and Steven would drool even more over that giant blonde slut.

She was tormented enough.

"Go away, Steven."

Instead of listening to her, Hyde pulled himself up on the Formans' porch railing, across from her chair. "Penny, wasn't it?"

Jackie pouted. She tried to cross her arms—to complete the sulk—but the movement burned. "It's not fair, Steven! Here I am, everyday, looking so gorgeous I can barely stand it _myself_, and she steps out of a car, and all you stupid jerks can think about is 'moisturizing' her."

"Jackie, as usual, you missed the point."

"What's that?"

"Out-of-town chicks are always hotter. Law of interstate commerce, man. The farther it travels to get to you and the less time you have to enjoy it, the more you want it. If you went back to Florida with Penny, no one would look twice at her."

Slowly, a smile replaced Jackie's pout. "Really, Steven?"

"Sure." Hyde shrugged. "They'd be too busy wondering why Wisconsin girls look like licorice sticks."

Rage doused her short-lived joy. She jumped to her feet, wincing slightly at the pressure on her tender skin. "Shut up, Steven! Sometimes I really hate you."

Hyde put his hands to his chest, feigning heartbreak, then straightened and blew a raspberry at her. "Tell you what, Jackie. If it'll make you feel better, I'd be happy to 'moisturize' you any time."

Jackie stamped back to Donna's, momentarily grateful for her sunburned cheeks. No one could see her blush.


	91. Tornado Prom

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde, Jackie/Kelso**  
Rating:** PG-13  
**Summary: **A post-episodic ficlet.

**Tornado Prom**

She had looked gorgeous in that white dress, every inch the Snow Queen she wasn't. She had also been pissed at everyone and a total bitch because of it, and, damn it, he even found _that _hot. But none of those factors had influenced Hyde's decision to draw on Jackie's face. It was the foundation of basement law: _You see an opportunity to burn, you light the damn match, man._

He had expected hell in return, in the form of Jackie bitching him out for a couple weeks afterward. He was even kind of looking forward to it, since Kelso would be sure to get the same—or worse—treatment.

He should have learned by now not to form expectations about that girl.

When Hyde and Kelso finally returned to the basement, Jackie sat there quietly, face scrubbed clean, acting as though nothing had happened. She let Kelso kiss her hello.

Kelso relaxed. He assumed she didn't know it was them and told her that tornado aliens had scribbled on her face.

Jackie didn't question his story.

That was when Hyde felt the first prickle of fear run down his spine.

On Monday morning, the corridors at Point Place High School were plastered with photographs of Kelso in makeup and a dress. Jackie had taken them years ago, the night she convinced Kelso he was the next Bowie.

Hyde felt a dawning horror. In an irritating paradox, as Jackie skipped breezily between classes she had never been hotter.

Hyde's head was next on the chopping block. He knew it; she knew it; _everyone _knew it. But she held back the death stroke for days, in hopes of seeing him panic. Hyde didn't panic. He was Zen.

On the outside.

Internally, he was running through every piece of dirt Jackie could possibly have on him. He reassured himself that being as shameless as he tried to be, nothing was all that humiliating. Plus, high school sucked, and he hated all the people there. What did he care what those stupid sheep thought of him?

During the next week, he caught more disgusted glances being sent his way than usual, more whispers following him around. If whatever revenge Jackie enacted had no worse consequences than that, she needed more lessons at his Dojo of Coolness.

He was summoned to the school's guidance counselor where he was asked questions about any confusion he might be having, told that this was a decade of change and everyone must search for their own path. He was excused from P.E. for the rest of the year; Hyde considered that a bonus until the football team beat him up, like he was Fez or something. Buddy asked him out.

"You told everyone I was gay?" Hyde sported a broken nose and a black eye as he stormed into the basement, slamming the door behind him.

Jackie looked up at him dispassionately from the circle of Kelso's arms. "Of course not. I only told the other cheerleaders that Michael and I saw you on your knees in front of Coach Henderson. _They _told everyone. That's how a good rumor works, Steven."

His anger spiraled out to her moronic boyfriend. "You backed up that story, man?"

Kelso pushed Jackie out of his arms and ran for the stairs even as he answered, "I had to, Hyde! Jackie wouldn't do it with me, and you know me. I need to do it! Don't hurt me!"

Hyde was left alone with Jackie and her self-satisfied expression. For one long, glorious moment, he considered choking the life out of her, this blight on his existence.

"What's this? The burn-master can't handle a little payback burn?" Jackie Burkhart was pure evil, condensed into a tiny body, hidden under a bright smile.

Hyde had never wanted a chick so badly.

He sat on the couch next to her, close enough to wipe the smug expression off her face. "Oh, I can handle it, doll. I'm just disappointed it's such a lame burn." His hands ghosted over her arms, feeling the flesh on them rise. Jackie sat frozen, paralyzed, as he brought his mouth down to hover over hers. "No one could really believe I'm gay. Least of all, you."

It took every ounce of willpower he possessed, but Hyde pulled away and left her there, alone and speechless.


	92. Donna Dates a Kelso

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde, mentions of Donna/Casey**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A missing scene, after Donna leaves for her date.

**Donna Dates a Kelso**

"Well, she's off, and she looks so pretty," Jackie announced triumphantly as she entered the basement. "As pretty as she can with red hair, I mean." She sank onto the couch next to Michael, a contented smile playing across her face. Once again, she had fulfilled her duty as the Queen of Romance.

"What'd you do to make her go? Hogtie her to the back of his car?" There was no reason at all for Steven's snippy tone.

"For your information, Donna and Casey hit it off right away. She was all speechless and giggly—I knew all it would take was a _real_ man to bring out Donna's repressed girl traits."

Hyde chuckled. "Nice absentee Eric burn. But I still say you're wrong about this date."

Typical Steven. No romance in his soul.

Jackie turned up her nose at his cynicism and focused her attention on her boyfriend. "I hope tonight goes well, Michael. Think of it. We could be sisters!"

"Uh, don't you think that'd be weird, Jackie? We couldn't do it if we were sisters."

Oh, honestly. Couldn't God have given Michael just a little brain to go inside that gorgeous head of his? "Not you and me, _Michael_. Me and Donna!"

"Oh!" Kelso's face brightened for a moment before his perpetual confusion returned. "I don't get it."

"When Donna marries Casey and I marry you, you doofus!"

"Whoa! Slow down with the marriage talk, Jackie."

"I know it's only their first date, but—"

"Not them, _us_."

Jackie's dreams of a double wedding in June dissolved at Michael's panicked words. A knot of fear settled in her stomach. Michael didn't want to marry her? But she had always planned to marry Michael. She had their entire lives plotted out and had since she was twelve years old. Michael was safe and predictable, and those were the reasons she chose him over…

Unconsciously, her eyes slid over to Steven. His gaze was centered on the television screen, but Jackie knew he was listening to every word they said. Listening and probably laughing inside at Michael's cold feet.

The thought of Hyde's ridicule sobered her, transformed the terror into manageable anger. She gave Michael her best do-my-will-or-suffer-the-consequences glare. "Oh, we _are _getting married someday, Michael."

"But, Jackie, we're—"

"Get used to it."

"But—"

"Shut up, Michael. You and I owe it to this world to marry and have impossibly beautiful children."

Steven snorted. "Beautiful, idiot children."

Watching Michael zone out, Jackie wondered if Steven was right. She stuffed that fear down with all the rest of them. She would have her perfect life. After all, she had a plan.


	93. Kelso's Career

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** Jackie/Hyde, Jackie/Kelso  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episodic ficlet, that has really nothing to do with the episode at all. I honestly couldn't think of a J/H scene to fit into their plotlines and instead wondered about a situation similar to the Red and Eric plotline. So there's this…

**Kelso's Career**

"I love you."

Jackie paused, frozen, in the doorway to the basement. She looked left, right, even behind her, but she was the only one there. The only one besides Steven, who had just said three words she _never _expected to hear out of his mouth. "What?" was all the response she could attempt in her astonishment.

"I love you," he said again. His blue eyes looked straight at her.

"Oh my God, Steven." Her hand rose to her mouth, while her heart beat faster. She closed the basement door and slowly approached him. "I'm so flattered! I mean, it can't—doesn't—really matter now, because I love Michael, but—"

"Yeah, I love him, too." Steven grinned vacantly up at her.

It was only then that Jackie noticed the beer cans on the floor by Hyde's chair, the slight swaying as he sat. "You're drunk." She was surprised by the wave of disappointment that came with the realization.

"Yup." Steven stood, rocking back and forth.

Afraid he was about to fall, Jackie stepped forward. "Careful, Steven." She put her hands on his hips to steady him.

"You're beautiful." He leaned forward precariously and buried his face in her hair. "You smell good. You _always_ smell good."

Jackie nearly reeled back from the stench of alcohol surrounding him. "You don't." She pushed him away gently and tried to turn him toward his room. "Come on, Steven. Let's get you to bed."

"Good idea. You coming with me?"

Her traitorous body flushed hot at the very idea. What was wrong with her? She loved Michael. Things with him had never been better. So why wouldn't this attraction to Steven ever go away?

"Love you, Jackie," he said again as she helped him into his room.

His voice…saying those words…to _her_…God, it made her chest ache.

"No, you don't, Steven. It's the beer talking." She pulled on the string connected to Hyde's solitary lightbulb with more force than necessary. It broke.

"Nah, man. It's just…it's you, and your hair, and your eyes, and all that stupid crap you say." He stepped out of her arms and practically tripped down onto his cot. "And you're evil, you know? But I love you," he mumbled the last few words, his eyes drifting shut.

"If that's true, why didn't you tell me before?"

"What difference…? You'd just pick him, anyway."

Jackie frowned down at the nearly unconscious Hyde. Part of her wanted Steven to mean what he said; part of her already believed he did. All of her wished he'd said it last year when it would have made a difference.

"Battlepants Galactica," Hyde chuckled into his pillow.

Sheepishly relieved, Jackie laughed, too. Steven was just drunk. You couldn't believe anything men said when they were drunk. _But_, her mother's lessons reminded her, _you can always keep the jewelry._


	94. Leo Loves Kitty

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show**  
Pairings:** hints of Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde, mention of Donna/Casey**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A 100-word missing scene drabble.  
**Notes: **Sorry for the delay in this week's chapters. The site was being a bitch, for whatever reason, and wouldn't let me upload.

**Leo Loves Kitty**

Jackie was looking for Donna, but when she saw Steven coming around the corner of the Formans' house, she knew he was the one she really needed.

"Steven!" She ran to him, barely holding herself back from throwing herself into his arms. "I need to talk to you. Now."

Hyde didn't even slow down. "I don't have time for your selfish crap today, Jackie. Leo's in the hospital, and Fez wrecked my car. Fix your own damn mess."

Jackie watched him walk away, leaving her behind. Everyone was leaving her behind. Michael had modeling. Donna had Casey.

Jackie had…cheese.


	95. Jackie's Cheese Squeeze

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde, mentions of Jackie/Todd**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A 200-word post-episodic double drabble.

**Jackie's Cheese Squeeze**

"So you cheated on Kelso."

Jackie's glum face fell even further at Hyde's rough accusation. "Not you, too, Steven. Don't you think I feel bad enough already?"

Hyde knew Jackie was miserable. Her red-rimmed eyes and the way she'd been so sweet to Kelso lately confirmed that. And yet he couldn't deny this churning anger in his gut, the need to punish her.

"It's just funny. You bore everyone to death with your crap about eternal love, and the moment Kelso's attention is off you, you're sucking face with another guy."

The look Jackie turned on him then was far too calculating. "What bothers you more, Steven? That I cheated on Michael, or that it wasn't with you?"

Hyde wanted to say she was crazy, that the thought had never entered his mind. He couldn't lie when she looked at him like that. "I wouldn't dog my friend that way."

"I know." Jackie's voice was quiet, resigned, as though Hyde wasn't the only one who wished she'd kissed someone else.

He wanted to say screw it and kiss her anyway. He left the basement instead. He wouldn't dog Kelso.

And he knew it would never stop with one kiss.


	96. Class Picture

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Wee!Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **How Jackie Met Hyde.  
**Author's Note: **Not gonna lie, this is my favorite one in a long time, and I think it's because this is my favorite episode of season four, a season that until S8 easily held the title of my least favorite. But everything in this episode worked, and I loved the chance to write little Jackie.

**Class Picture**

"You know, Steven, it's funny that we knew each other before everyone else."

Hyde quit making goofy faces at Fez—who was having his picture taken—long enough to throw Jackie a disgusted look. "I didn't know you until Donna threw a ball in your face. If I had known you before that, I'd have joined her."

Jackie frowned. He couldn't honestly have forgotten such a pivotal, life-changing moment as meeting Jackie Burkhart, could he? "We did so, Steven! I was five years old, and my swingset was off-limits while we had the pool put in, so Mom took me to the park to play…"

--

**1966**

"You run along, sweetheart," Mommy said, as she headed toward the grown-ups sitting on benches. "I'll be right over here, if you need me."

Terrified, Jackie stood on the very edge of the playground. She had never been here before. There were so many other children, and they were all so…dirty.

A shrieking blonde girl ran past. Jackie jumped backwards to avoid being knocked to the muddy ground. A moment later, that girl fell over. She promptly pulled herself up and kept running, without a thought for the filth all over the front of her dress.

Jackie shuddered. What was this horrible place? Everywhere she looked, there were runny noses, untied shoes, uncombed hair. How could Mommy just leave her here?

An especially grubby boy with untidy curls and a shirt three sizes too big tackled a small, wheezing child to the grass. "Give me a quarter."

The wheezing boy started to cry. Snot bubbled out of his nose. "_M-m-mommmy!_" he wailed.

"What are you doing!?" a woman shouted, as she ran toward them. "Get off my baby!" She pushed the other boy away and gathered up her sobbing son.

This gave Jackie an idea. She scrunched up her face and started to scream. "MOMMY!" Over and over she called, but no beautiful, bee-hived mother ran to claim her and save her from this nightmare.

She looked over at the bench where the mommies and daddies sat. She couldn't see hers anywhere! In that instant, the screams quieted, the tears became real. She sank to her knees, uncaring of the grass stains on her white wool tights.

"Hey, knock that off. Some of us are trying to play here."

Jackie was stunned. No one had ever used that tone of voice with her before. She rubbed her puffy eyes with her fists before looking up.

The curly-headed bully who had attacked that boy stood in front of her. He seemed like a giant from a fairy tale to her, so tall and dangerous.

"I—I want my mommy," she said as bravely as she could. It came out little louder than a whisper.

"Then go find her and quit being such a crybaby about it."

All Jackie's young pride came to her rescue. She got to her feet and stamped one for emphasis. "I am _not _a baby! I'm a big girl! My daddy says so."

"I got a little secret for you, kid: daddies lie."

She had never been so angry in her life. Nobody talked about her daddy that way! She shoved the boy as hard as she could. "You're mean!"

He didn't push back. He just rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah, well, you're stupid. A stupid _baby_."

"I HATE YOU!" Jackie ran at him, tumbling him to the ground beneath her. Then, she bit his arm, just so he'd know she meant it.

"_Owwww!_" The boy's wail of pain carried across the park. No mommy came running. He didn't even call for one.

Jackie sat back on her heels and watched him. He rubbed at the bright red mark near his elbow with his other hand. He bit his lip to keep the tears from spilling out of his blue eyes, but he didn't cry. Jackie had never bitten someone before and had them _not _cry.

Finally, the little boy looked back at her. Jackie sat frozen, afraid of what he might do, yet almost thinking she deserved it.

He held out his hand. "Name's Steven Hyde. You can call me Hyde."

"Why can't I call you Steven?"

"I'll beat you up."

Jackie believed him and shook his hand, in awe of the boy who didn't cry. "I'm Jackie. You can call me Jackie." She curtsied prettily, just the way Grandma taught her.

"Do you do that biting thing a lot, Jackie?"

Jackie nodded. "When my cousins visit and try to steal my toys. Or when Mommy talks on the phone too long. Or when Nanny won't give me candy."

"Would you bite someone if I asked you to?"

"Yes." Filled with a mixture of admiration and fear, Jackie knew she would do pretty much anything Steven Hyde asked her to do.

Hyde smiled. "We're gonna get along real well. Come on. Let's ride the merry-go-round." He pulled on her hand.

Jackie stayed where she was. "But there are all those kids on it."

"Not for long, there ain't!"

An hour later, Jackie's mommy came back for her with a shiny, new, red gloss on her nails, only to find her precious, perfect daughter in a torn dress, missing a shoe, and covered in mud and grass stains. She was also happier than she'd ever been, joined hand-in-hand with her tough, brave hero. A gaggle of angry parents descended on Mommy with complaints about her biting habit.

Though Jackie begged her for months, Mommy never took her back to the park.

--

"So wait a minute—_you _were Biting Girl?" Eric's incredulous voice broke Jackie's reverie.

"You'd heard that story?" Jackie looked from Eric to Steven, but his face, of course, remained impassive.

"Heard it? Biting Girl is a legend! For years, Hyde told us all that Donna was okay, but she'd never be tougher than Biting Girl."

"Whoa! There is no way _Jackie _is tougher than me. Exhibit A: Ball in the face."

"Oh, shut up, you lumberjack!" Jackie launched herself against her taller friend. She managed to sink her teeth into a knuckle before strong arms pulled her off.

"OW! Jackie, you bit me!"

"Ah, Biting Girl! The legend lives on," Eric sighed.

Steven chuckled.

Jackie felt strangely proud.


	97. Prank Day

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie and Hyde, but not really Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A 100-word, post-episodic drabble.

**Prank Day**

"STEVEN!"

Hyde was too busy laughing at Jackie's appearance to be frightened of her death yell.

"I opened a Coke at Michael's and this—" She gestured irritably at her ruined clothes. "—is what happened. Michael said _you _gave him that bottle. Care to explain, Steven?"

"See, Jackie, you take a Mentos and—"

"This isn't funny, Steven!"

"Um, no, I'm pretty sure it is."

"You owe me a new outfit."

"Technically, the joke was meant for Kelso, so Kelso owes you an outfit."

"I HATE pranks, and boys, and _you!_" With a last, dramatic twirl, Jackie left.

Hyde was still laughing.


	98. Eric's Corvette Caper

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episodic ficlet.

**Eric's Corvette Caper**

The reason Jackie tried so hard not to do anything wicked was that once she started, she found it impossible to stop. For weeks after the dine-and-dash, she had stuffed a lipstick or nail polish in her purse every time she went shopping. One trip to the Circle to show Hyde she was cool had developed into a weekly habit. And now that she'd gone snooping in Casey's stuff, every empty room she entered was a treasure trove of secrets just waiting to be discovered.

Michael's bedroom had yielded nothing except more proof of what a horndog her boyfriend was—condoms and nudie magazines stashed away in every nook and cranny.

Daddy's home office was even more disappointing. Not a single pretty package or shiny pair of earrings hidden away as a future present for his precious daughter. She even looked over the financial records on his desk to see if a car was in her future, but no matter how hard she tried—and Jackie was very, very good at math that involved dollar signs—she could not make the numbers add up. She thought about telling Daddy he'd made a mistake, but saw a letter from the I.R.S. and figured they already had.

Jackie had learned long ago to stay out of her mother's room. Pouring out all the booze from Pam's perfume bottles and tearing up dirty letters postmarked from Mexico or Barbados gave her no wicked thrill at all. It just made her tired and sick.

"Borrowing" Donna's diary was Jackie first real success, but she got bored when her own name didn't show up once in the first twenty pages.

Two weeks passed before she found herself alone in the Formans' basement with nothing to do but read a _TigerBeat _she'd read a thousand times before. Steven's bedroom loomed behind her, calling out to her with a mix of excitement and fear. This was probably the best chance she would ever get to see beyond his façade of Zen and into how Steven Hyde's mind really worked.

She threw the magazine on the table and answered the summons.

At first, there was nothing unexpected to be found. The same pile of porn under the bed and condoms in the underwear drawer she'd discovered at Michael's and was sure she could find in Eric's or Fez's—although with Fez, the candy might be substituted for condoms.

She unearthed Hyde's stash in a paper bag, balled up inside his Cannabis t-shirt. Figuring she might as well get _something_ out of this expedition, she rolled herself a joint and stuck it in her pocket for later.

Jackie flopped down on Steven's cot, disappointed for herself and strangely sad for him. Her eyes roamed again over the contents of the room. An old dresser shoved against the wall, only half-full with his crappy t-shirts and jeans. Rows and rows of boxes full of things that didn't belong to him—the Formans' Christmas decorations, lawn games, Eric and Laurie's baby clothes, ugly gifts Kitty hadn't been able to give away but wouldn't use. A couple short stacks of books by the foot of his bed—stoner novels, paranoid government conspiracies, and MAD magazines.

No pictures, no mementoes, nothing to say Steven's life mattered to him or anyone else. Jackie gazed around the bleak, dank, windowless room and thought, for the first time, she understood why Hyde was the way he was.

She stood, intending to leave, when something caught her eye. Balanced precariously on the network of pipes above her head was an old cigar box. Jackie had to stand on tiptoe on Steven's cot to reach it. Her fingers tingled the second she touched it. Here, at last, was the illusive treasure.

Reverently, she set the box down on Steven's pillow and sat beside it. Her heart beat furiously, and she paused to make sure there were no sounds coming from the stairs or the outer room. Then, she flipped back the lid.

The box was half-full of faded photographs and scraps of paper. On top rested a dried purple flower.

Jackie gasped as she traced the fragile edges. She had seen this carnation before, but the concept—the very _idea_—that Steven had cared enough even then to save his boutonnière from prom seemed impossible, the product of her own fevered imagination. She pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"OW!"

Not a dream then.

Carefully, she moved the flower aside and pulled out the stack of photos. Her face, angry and scowling, stared back at her from the very top. She was wearing her cheese maiden uniform and recognized this as one of the pictures Hyde had taken to torment her. He had saved one?

Flipping through the photos, she saw the Formans were well-represented. Everything from Eric and Steven as tiny children in the bathtub together, to Mrs. Forman smiling over her shoulder as she stirred something in her kitchen, to a family portrait in which, behind Red and Kitty's smiling faces, Eric was giving Laurie devil horns.

There were no pictures of Bud or Edna, but plenty of the gang in every conceivable grouping. Eric, Donna, Hyde and Kelso in baseball uniforms when they were maybe eight. Fez, Hyde, Eric, Kelso and Leo standing in front of a Welcome to Canada sign. All six of them crammed together on the basement couch. Eric, Donna and Hyde in junior high.

So many—_too_ many—of the pictures were of her. Their prom picture; a newspaper clipping on the church's Christmas pageant, with a large picture of her and Steven as Mary and Joseph; another clipping of her and Fez winning the roller disco contest; every school photo she had ever given him—and Jackie Burkhart was never stingy with photographs of her beautiful self—that he had grimaced and crumpled up, but apparently never thrown away; candid moments she didn't remember being taken, where she wasn't even in the right lighting or smiling her Kodak smile.

Jackie dropped the pictures back in the box, careful to keep the original order. She swung the lid down and just stared at it, as though it contained not harmless scraps of paper but a ticking bomb. She was terrified by what she'd found, horrified by the truth it seemed to whisper to her, and even more scared she might be wrong.

Steven _couldn't _love her, not like _that_, not with the silent devotion of years. If he did, he would have said something, would have taken her one of the million or so times she had thrown herself at him. He wouldn't stand by and watch her devote herself to his best friend—

_Michael_. His name was a stabilizing thought, a return to sanity from the crazy dreamworld wherein Steven Hyde loved her. Michael Kelso loved her, and she loved him.

Steven had kept her pictures because…because she was his friend and she was beautiful. After all, who else was he going to keep pictures of? Donna, the red-headed lumberjack, always looked like a tomato. And Eric was even less attractive in photographs than face to face.

Jackie repeated those thoughts to herself until she forced her mind to accept them, until all the doubts that still rattled in her head were silenced. Then she rose on shaky legs and returned Pandora's Box to its hiding place.

One thing was certain: Jackie was done with snooping.


	99. Hyde's Birthday

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Hyde**  
Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A couple different looks at THE scene in this episode, which I may have possibly watched more times than is healthy.

**Hyde's Birthday**

What Hyde Knew:

When he entered the Pinciottis' living room, Jackie's face was the first thing he saw.

When she stepped towards him, his hand instinctively went around her waist. It lingered there after the kiss, even after Kelso's outrage.

The feel of her lips pressed featherlight against his face, one side brushing the edge of his mouth as if to remind him again how she was always just out of his reach.

His irritation with Kelso for making her pull away, how tempted he was to pull Jackie back to his side and really give the doofus something to complain about.

He didn't, of course. He kept his cool, his Zen, and no one stopped to think about how Steven Hyde had let Jackie Burkhart give him a birthday kiss.

--

What Hyde Didn't Know:

Jackie _wanted_ to be the first thing he saw. She sat in the chair closest to the door the moment Red left to get Steven and didn't budge, even though it meant sitting with Fez, with whose bad taste she was currently annoyed.

She planned in advance to give him a birthday kiss. Jackie had thought long and hard about what Steven would like for his birthday. Though she eventually bought him a new Jethro Tull album, she kept coming back to a kiss. Everyone should be kissed at least once on their birthday. A sign of affection and approval—it didn't have to mean anything more than that. Honest.

But she shot to her feet and wet her lips as soon as she heard he was coming.

His touch at the small of her back made her skin tingle.

She lingered a moment to take in his comforting smell, the slight tickle of stubble against her skin.

Michael's outburst made her angry. If he knew what it cost her to stand there and _only _kiss Hyde's cheek. She wanted to give her boyfriend something to really complain about.

She didn't, of course. She had hurt Michael enough already, and Steven, too.

--

What Jackie Didn't Know:

When Mrs. Forman forced Hyde to blow out his candles and make a wish, he looked at the eighteen tiny flames and thought simply, _Jackie_.

(They all went out.)


	100. That '70s Musical

**Title:** Filling the Gaps  
**Fandom:** That '70s Show  
**Pairings:** Jackie/Kelso, Jackie/Fez, Jackie/Hyde  
**Rating:** PG  
**Summary: **A post-episodic ficlet.  
**Author's Notes: **A hundred episodes in! I can hardly believe it. Thank you to all who have followed and reviewed this story. I'm so glad people are still enjoying it. For the hundredth episode, I had to do things a little differently. For one, it's the very first ficlet in all one hundred that isn't from Jackie's or Hyde's POV. Also, it is a songfic. I don't really care for songfics, but this episode is basically one giant one, and I was high on Glee at the time, so…here you go.  
**Disclaimer: **If _That '70s Show _had belonged to me, it would have ended with a J/H wedding, complete with those freakin' doves. If ABBA's "Dancing Queen" belonged to me…I would be very, very rich, and that would just be awesome. Sadly, neither of those things is true.

**That '70s Musical**

Fez couldn't remember the last time he'd been so happy. His concert had been a success, his friends had come to see him, and they had all treated him to burgers and candy afterward.

As he sat in The Hub with full belly and full heart, life took on the dreaminess of a Technicolor musical. His gaze followed Jackie as she flitted about from table to table, chatting with cheerleader friends, congratulating Fez's fellow Glee Club members, returning to the gang's table to stroke Kelso's hair or steal a fry off Hyde's plate.

Ah, Jackie…she was so beautiful, so dazzling. Even the way she wove through a crowd was like a dance…

She twirled from one table to the next. The lights went down; the disco ball dropped; the music started. The tables vanished in the blink of an eye, and the glee club girls stood in a line of white pantsuits, as they sang out, "_You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life! See that girl, watch that scene, digging the dancing queen…_"

But it was Jackie who held the floor, clothed in a shimmering, reflective, gold minidress. She undulated her body in time to the music, and Fez could only stare, mesmerized by the scene.

"_You come in to look for a king. Anybody could be that guy…_"

Kelso joined his girlfriend under the lights. Trying to be smooth, he twirled her towards him, but even Fez's imagination couldn't make Kelso a good dancer. He flopped around ungracefully, all clumsy feet and slumping shoulders.

Jackie, laughing, pushed him back into a chair at the edge of the crowd.

"_You're in the mood for a dance, and when you get the chance…_"

Alone again, Jackie sauntered back along the line of the enamored crowd. Her eyes hunted after a new partner, while she alone held the onlookers spellbound. Finally, Jackie reached him and crooked a finger in his direction, beckoning him forward. Fez caught his breath, but obediently came to her.

Fez danced with power and grace; he had all the confidence under the pulsing lights that he lacked in any other situation. He took Jackie in his arms, leading her deftly across the stage. She was feather-light, an elfin princess, and he couldn't resist the opportunity to lift her from the floor, high into the air where she belonged. When he pulled her back to earth, Jackie smiled up at him adoringly. Her eyes shone, skin flushed with exertion and exhilaration, and yet…

"_You're a teaser, you turn 'em on. Leave them burning, and then you're gone…_"

Jackie spun free of his arms, flinging herself fearlessly and unerringly into Hyde's lap. For a moment, she rested there, face so close to Hyde's Fez could almost see them share a breath. Then she rose, pulling an unresisting Hyde to the floor.

What should have been a joyous, crowd-raising finale turned into a steamy slow dance. Hyde wrapped his hands around Jackie's waist and somehow melded with that glowing queen of beauty until they moved as one; the crowd, the singers, even Fez himself disappearing…

A sharp jab to the shoulder pulled Fez from his dream state.

"Ai! What was that for?" He pouted at Hyde, rubbing his sore arm.

"Quit staring at me, man. It's creepy."

Fez turned his eyes away. Jackie had returned to her seat, next to Kelso, his arm about her shoulders.

It was strange. Jackie was Kelso's girlfriend—even if he didn't deserve her perfection—and yet in Fez's imagination, she always ended up, not with boyfriend Kelso, nor with Fez who adored her, but with Hyde, who couldn't stand her.

Maybe his aesthetic mind just enjoyed the look of the two of them together?

"AI!" Fez grabbed his throbbing arm after another undeserved hit. "I was not staring at you, Hyde! I was staring at my goddess, Jackie."

"Still creepy," Hyde muttered.

Jackie smiled, ducked her head, and took the last of Hyde's fries. Hyde let her.


End file.
